Podcast
media majlis museum Podcast
Hosted by afikra · EN
Welcome to the media majlis museum Podcast powered by afikra, a series where we explore the intersection of language, culture, and identity, inspired by the exhibition "The limits of my language are the limits of my world" at the media majlis museum at Northwestern University in Qatar.
The media majlis museum at Northwestern University in Qatar is the first media museum in the Arab world. It is dedicated to exploring journalism, communication and media. Through exhibitions, publications, programs and online resources we engage with themes that connect audiences to an ever-changing media landscape. The mm:museum's exhibition space uses digital technologies to challenge standard narratives and provide 360-degree views on global, regional and local stories, aspiring to represent the diversity of voices, perspectives, events and people that contributes to the evolving media world that surrounds and affects us all.
In season one, we dive into the Arabic language — a language spoken by over 400 million people but that’s constantly evolving under the pressures of globalization. Through engaging conversations with experts, artists, and cultural figures, we explore how Arabic unites and divides, empowers and limits, and how its complexity influences the cultural landscape of the Arab world and beyond.
Join us as we uncover the rich history, politics, and nuances of Arabic, revealing the stories behind its words, its impact on global cultures, and the challenges it faces today. Whether you're a native speaker or simply curious about the power of language, this podcast offers a unique perspective on the ongoing journey to preserve and celebrate one of the world's most influential languages.
15episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Infinite Scroll: Memememememe in Review | Anne Horel & Amal Ali
Dec 1101:02:13Tap to summarizeIn the season finale of the media majlis museum podcast, we're joined by one of the exhibition's curators Amal Ali and contributing artist Anne Horel, for a retrospective look at the groundbreaking Memememememe exhibition at Northwestern Qatar. The discussion reveals the exhibition's origins, which began as a two-to-three-year process focused on social movements before landing on memes as a powerful, often anonymous, tool for engaging with culture and sensitive issues. Anne, a digital artist who uses internet language in her work, discusses her three-channel video installation, Good Soup, a meme culture alterpiece, which explores the feeling of "worshipping the algorithm". Her work, which includes highly viral GIFs with millions of views, highlights the lack of control once content is shared online. The conversation further explores the magical connecting power of memes and GIFs as a new iconographic language, the importance of displaying digital art with the necessary hardware, and the philosophical idea of the internet as a global subconscious. 00:00 The Memememememe Exhibition: A Retrospective02:53 The Long Journey From Social Movements to Memes03:56 The Vision Behind the Research-Based University Museum Exhibition05:18 Scenography as Narrative: The Laundromat Theme06:00 Anne Horel’s Good Soup, A Meme Culture Alterpiece07:11 Internet Language as Anne Horel’s Material08:24 The Themes of Good Soup: Pop Culture Icons and Pedro Pascal10:40 The "Magical" Feeling of Internet Connection12:30 Memes and GIFs As a New Language and Grammar14:00 The Creation Process: A State of "Trance" and the Absurd15:35 The Memememememe Publication: A Glossary on Emojis and the Global South16:44 Curating the Exhibition vs. the Publication vs. the Programs18:51 Museum Culture: Being Irreverent and Welcoming Reaction20:54 The Changing Way We Consume Images and the Ethics of AI23:50 Displaying Digital Art: The Need for Hardware and Innovation in the Middle East25:15 Favorite Pieces: Oran Mad Dog's Memory and Memes as Intangible Heritage26:38 Navigating Political Content and Global South Memes28:46 Comic Sans and Times as Memes29:57 Is the Internet One Place or Many? The Global Subconscious31:30 Permanent Data by Drone Van: A Metaphor for Meme Culture33:40 Anne Horel on Retrieving Data from Broken Hard Drives34:36 How Anne Horel and the Museum Found Each Other39:01 Museum's Use of Memes41:48 Speak the Language of Your Audience44:41 The Ethics of AI, Children, and Parental Responsibility52:03 Memes in Art History and Preserving Digital Artifacts57:21 The Evolution of Meme Cycles and Predicting the Future Amal Ali is a museum curator and cultural producer based in Qatar. She's currently a curatorial exhibition manager at Northwestern University in Qatar. Connect with Amal Ali 👉 https://www.instagram.com/amalgam8or/Anne Horel is a French visual artist, director and writer born in 1984. Known for her maximalist, polymorphous and satirical universe, she has spent over a decade developing a visual language that blends digital collage, pop culture, absurdist humor, experimental animation and hybrid storytelling, deeply rooted in digital culture and technologies. Represented by Galerie Julie Caredda (Paris), she has exhibited at Art Basel Miami, Palais de Tokyo, Times Square, as well as in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Japan, the UAE, Colombia and Turkey, and has won multiple awards including the Audi Talent Award in 2017. Connect with Anne Horel 👉 https://instagram.com/annehorel Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59nsa FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Playful Disruption: Remixing Archives & Pop Culture With Meme Artist Abdullah Al Jahdhami (@shaweesh_)
Nov 2700:46:26Tap to summarizeWe explore the power and potency of memes in today's society with Abdullah Al Jahdhami, known online as @shaweesh_, an artist who contributed to the Memememememe at the media majlis museum. Al Jahdhami discusses his artistic practice, which involves disrupting and remixing historical and archival imagery, often by inserting pop culture icons to open a new dialogue. He shares the story behind his famous artwork of Yoda with King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, an image that ended up in a Saudi nationalism textbook. The artist explains how he uses these archival materials to question what shapes the identity of his generation and how his work, though joyful and funny, encourages people to understand why they are laughing. Al Jahdhami also touches on his process of repatriating historical objects by buying them back from eBay, and his latest works, which use original animation cels to combine Arab childhood memories of dubbed cartoons with scenes from the Gulf War. The conversation closes with his thoughts on the shifting art scene, where exhibitions are becoming an experience more than just "things on the wall". 00:00 Introduction03:06 From Mechanical Engineering to Meme Artist04:40 The Memememememe Exhibition and Archival Practice06:55 The Yoda and King Faisal Meme10:01 The New York Times, The Nationalism Textbook, and Viral Outrage12:56 Selling Out Editions and Playful Disruption13:39 Collaborating with Calligrapher Abbas Al Baghdadi15:23 Remixing the Archive and Shaping Identity17:55 Opening a New Dialogue with the Generation19:55 Displacing Iconic Photos with Pop Culture22:20 Pop Culture and the Albaik Art Piece24:12 The Photo Etching Technique26:46 Adding the Art to Newspapers27:47 Art, Humor and Questioning Truth32:15 Collages with Original Animation Cels36:50 Repatriating History via eBay39:36 Fictional City of Koraq and The Land of Black Gold43:21 Impressions of the Memememememe Exhibition44:48 Art Shows Becoming a Whole New Experience Abdullah Al Jahdhami is a Riyadh-based mixed media artist born in 1990. His work examines cultural exchanges between Saudi Arabia and the world by merging visual art with elements of design. Influenced by the early internet era, he integrates symbols from Western pop culture into his pieces, initiating a cross-cultural dialogue. In his latest series, he reimagines figures like Captain America and Yoda within key moments of Saudi history, blending humor and critique. Rooted in personal memory, his love for cartoons and time spent collecting old newspapers in Riyadh, his work takes the form of digital collages that satirically recast cartoon icons as unlikely protagonists in the rewriting of national narratives.Connect with Abdullah Al Jahdhami 👉 https://instagram.com/shaweesh_ Hosted by Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096 THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORKExplore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2n FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Narcy | Keeping It Real: Deepfakes, Power & the Internet
Nov 2201:06:39Tap to summarizeThis conversation is an essential guide for anyone navigating the dualities of Arab identity, artistic integrity, and the unpredictable forces of the viral age. Multidisciplinary artist and professor Narcy (Yassin Alsalman) dives deep into the complex relationship between art, celebrity, power, and internet culture. Narcy discusses his conscious choice to reject the pursuit of virality, instead focusing on crafting art with deep meaning and intention, even as his work—from his viral Kanye West course at Concordia to his music videos—repeatedly breaks through the noise. Narcy unpacks his latest album, To Be An Arab, an intentional return to analog art in a digital world, and details the spiritual serendipity of creating the groundbreaking music video for R.E.D with Yasiin Bey and The Halluci Nation (formerly known as A Tribe Called Red). 0:00 Introduction 2:54 Narcy's Deep Fake Video and the Death of Celebrity3:59 Narcy's "Me Against The World"6:51 To Be An Arab: The Double LP and the Power of Analog7:21 Rejecting Celebrity by Removing Himself From Music Videos8:13 Collaborating with AboodSkiba and Investing in the Arab Creative Economy9:07 Narcy Performs "Palm Trees"11:45 AboodSkiba's Political Comedy and Cultural Translation12:44 Narcy Discusses Data Rights and The Ego of Internet Exposure14:25 Misunderstood Elements of Celebrity and Internet Culture16:16 The Kanye West Course at Concordia: Going Viral by Accident and Its Aftermath18:18 The Politics of Academia20:30 Rejecting The Power of Virality22:27 "R.E.D" with Yasiin Bey and The Halluci Nation: Decolonial Art and Indigenous Solidarity32:12 Advice to Young Arab Artists on Integrity and Sacrifice34:43 No Smoking Allowed: A Rap Exercise as a Flex36:28 The Analog vs. Digital Divide in Art Value38:12 Narcy's "The Sword and The Neck"42:21 Crafting a Visual Practice and Processing Trauma Through Art44:11 Q&A: Arab Masculinity and the Will to Change46:58 Q&A: Contextualizing Early Political Work like "Fatwa"50:16 Q&A: The Political Driver Behind Artistic Process53:43 Q&A: The Role of Humor in Dealing with Heavy Topics56:39 Q&A: Globalizing Arab Identity Without Dilution59:58 Q&A: Protecting the Soulful Work From Systemized Propaganda1:01:14 Q&A: Experiences with Censorship1:02:07 Q&A: Managing a Love-Hate Relationship with The Internet1:04:14 Q&A: What Positive Should We Expect in The Future? Yassin Alsalman, better known by his stage name Narcy, is an Iraqi-Canadian multidisciplinary artist, author, and university professor, and one of the co-founders of Maktaba bookshop in Montreal. Connect with Narcy 👉 https://instagram.com/narcynarce Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Memes in Morocco: Darija, Rap & Digital Activism | Dr Cristina Moreno Almeida
Nov 600:53:39Tap to summarizeWe explore why certain cultural productions thrive exclusively online, the debate around meme humor versus emotional resonance, and how memes can serve as a form of social critique. Dr. Cristina Moreno Almeida, from Queen Mary University of London, joins us and discusses her research into internet culture and memes, particularly their role in North Africa. The author of "Memes, Monsters, and the Digital Grotesque," she delves into the unique aspects of Moroccan meme culture, the use of Darija in digital expression, and the political implications of online content in the Arab world, especially in the context of the "Arab Winter" narrative. Dr. Almeida also shares her contributions to the Memememememe exhibition at the media majlis museum.Download the book 👉 https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/97918/9780197267714.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y 00:00 Introduction to Memes, Monsters, and the Digital Grotesque03:03 The Journey to Studying Memes05:35 Exclusivity and Globalization of Meme Culture08:09 Horror and the Grotesque in Memes16:09 Genres of Memes in North Africa20:56 Memes as Activism and Crossing Red Lines25:16 The Diverse Political Landscape of Meme Production30:57 Darija and Language in Moroccan Meme Culture38:20 Reception of the Book in Morocco41:27 The Ephemeral vs. Eternal Nature of the Internet45:19 Memes as a Litmus Test for Culture50:59 Contribution to the Meme Exhibition Dr. Cristina Moreno-Almeida is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Culture and Arabic Cultural Studies at Queen Mary University of London and Fellow at the Queen Mary Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Her research interests lie at the intersection of aesthetics, politics, and cultural production. She has published on rap music, memes, the politics of resistance, nationalism, and online far-right cultures. She is the Principal Investigator of the UKRI (ERC nominated) project "Digital Al-Andalus: Radical Perspectives Of and Through Al-Andalus" (2023-2024) which looks at the melding of historical episodes, nostalgia for lost empires, cultural difference, and violent actions on digital media. Her academic journey includes prior posts at the LSE Middle East Centre and the Department of Media and Communications, where she collaborated on the "Personalised Media and Participatory Culture" project (2015-2017) with the American University of Sharjah (UAE). This research centered on young people’s participatory culture, creative production, and internet usage in Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and the UAE. Connect with Cristina Moreno Almeida 👉 https://instagram.com/cristinamoralm Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Becoming an Arab Meme | Laure Assaf & Hamad Al-Amari Live in Doha
Oct 2300:40:30Tap to summarizeWe bring you the live recording of a panel we moderated at the media majlis museum in Doha this month. We delve into the history of memes in the Arab world with anthropologist Laure Assaf and Qatari comedian Hamad Al-Amari, where they explore their cultural significance, evolution, and impact on society. They address how memes merge cultural consumption and production, challenging orientalist tropes about Arab societies, and serving as a powerful tool for humor, satire, and political expression. Our panelists share insights into the mechanisms of virality, the role of different social media platforms, and the unique characteristics of Arab meme culture, from the Gamboo3a phenomenon to personal experiences of becoming a meme. 0:00 What Are Memes and What Do They Do?3:37 The Anthropological Lens: Memes as Cultural Objects4:56 Defining Memes6:17 From Pedagogy to Political Satire: An Egyptian Meme Example7:38 The Power of Memes in Consumption, Production, and Humor9:49 Collective Identity & Understanding the Audience10:49 Pop Culture Mashups12:40 Case Study: the Gamboo3a 16:29 The Evolution of the Gamboo3a Meme21:18 Gamboo3a's Legacy in Pop Culture and Its Regional Unity23:09 Hamad's Journey: Becoming a Meme (Twice!)25:09 The Origins of Memes and Political Humor in the Arab World27:01 The Algorithm and Content Virality28:55 Regional Platform Preferences and Political Content31:23 The Shelf Life of Arab Memes and Archiving Pop Culture37:34 Social Backlash and Legislation: The Future of Memes Hamad Al-Amari is a stand-up comedian, producer and entrepreneur born in Doha and raised in Ireland. He presents the video blog "QTips" on the iloveqatar.net website, which uses short funny videos to explain Qatar.Connect with Hamad Al-Amari 👉 https://instagram.com/hamadalamariLaure Assaf is an anthropologist and a specialist of Middle Eastern studies. Her research interests focus on youth, urbanity, and migration in contemporary Emirati society and the broader Gulf region. She is Assistant Professor of Arab Crossroads Studies, Anthropology and Social Research and Public Policy at NYU Abu Dhabi. She was trained in anthropology at Paris Nanterre University and in Arabic at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris. She is working on a book manuscript derived from her PhD thesis, entitled "Arab youths of Abu Dhabi: Status categories, urban sociability and the shaping of subjectivities in the United Arab Emirates (2017)". She is also an Associate Researcher at the French Center for Archeology and Social Sciences (CEFAS) in Kuwait.Connect with Laure Assaf 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/laure-assaf-b1036442 Hosted by Mikey Muhanna Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Navigating Meme Culture: From Brain Rot to Digital Monoculture | Dr. Idil Galip
Oct 1000:56:27Tap to summarize"Brain rot" as "trashy media for the algorithmic age", the political implications of memes, the differences in global meme cultures, and the impact of AI on the content we receive and share. Dr. Idil Galip is a lecturer in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam and a dedicated scholar of what she's called "meme studies". She shares her insights on the evolution of memes, "brain rot" media, and the impact of algorithms on digital culture. She discusses how memes have transformed from simple internet jokes into complex, monetized digital objects and content economies, dissects the most popular digital platforms we use, and tries to help us predict the future impact of the algorithmic and meme age we live in. 0:00 Introduction2:06 Brain Rot: A Media Genre and a State of Being3:11 The Historical Roots of Brain Rot Content5:30 Challenges in Meme Research6:36 Understanding Platform Ideology and Content Economies12:00 The Origins of Dr. Galip's Meme Research15:13 From Political Cartoons to Political Memes18:18 Global vs. Local Meme Cultures22:11 Platforms and Their Communities24:25 Niche Meme Cultures: 4chan and Pinterest26:55 Reddit and Text-Based Memes28:06 The Impact of Algorithms on Cultural Consumption30:55 The Illusion of Openness and Personalized Content33:52 Favorite Platforms and Doom Scrolling36:27 The Death of Monoculture in the Digital Age40:30 The Paradox of Connection and Loneliness43:10 A Timeline of The Internet: Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.047:07 The Rise of Generative AI and Chatbots in Meme Culture53:20 Recommended Meme Accounts and Artists Dr. Idil Galip is a researcher who explores the intersection of memes, digital labor, and algorithmic culture through ethnographic and digital methods. She's a lecturer in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam and recently co-edited "Critical Meme Reader III: Breaking the Meme" and has published in leading journals on platform studies and internet culture. She founded the Meme Studies Research Network, an international community of people who do interdisciplinary meme research. Her work has been featured in WIRED, BBC, Deutsche Welle, and numerous cultural institutions including the Photographer's Gallery, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Foam, House of Electronic Arts Basel and more. Beyond academia she bridges research and public discourse through keynotes, media appearances, and collaborations with artists and cultural organizations. She's passionate about making digital culture research accessible and relevant to broader audiences. Connect with Idil Galip 👉 https://instagram.com/cybervolta Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Ai in Journalism | Shakeeb Asrar
Sep 2600:56:10Tap to summarizeIs AI making journalism better or worse? We explore the evolving relationship between AI and journalism, AI's impact on newsrooms and education, and the critical need for AI literacy, especially in the Global South. Journalist, documentary filmmaker, and Assistant Professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, Shakeeb Asrar, offers a hopeful, yet cautious, perspective, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and human experience in an increasingly AI-driven world. This discussion is part of a three-episode series in conjunction with the "Ai or NAY?" exhibition at media majlis museum. 0:00 Introduction: AI's Exponential Growth0:29 Is AI Making Journalism Better or Worse?2:07 The Inevitability of AI in Journalism4:16 Journalism's Role in Combating Disinformation5:56 The Workflow of Journalism and AI's Impact8:47 The Human Element Versus AI in Storytelling10:09 Ethical Challenges and AI-Generated Content13:35 The Two Groups: Malicious Intent vs. Lack of Responsibility17:15 The Global South and AI 20:48 Cultivating Skepticism in the Age of AI23:09 The Subtle Dangers of AI: Bias and Manipulation23:30 Teaching Journalism in the AI Era27:46 Ethical Guidelines and AI in Film31:18 AI's Impact on Creativity From a Students' Perspectives35:04 Identifying AI-Generated Content38:40 The Control and Manipulation of AI Models43:08 AI's Impact on Journalism in the Global South45:17 Essential Tools for Young Journalists in the Arab World47:37 Historical Context of Misinformation and Propaganda51:04 Recommendations: "Bodyguard of Lies" and "The Afghanistan Papers"54:09 AI: A New Tool, Old Dangers Shakeeb Asrar is an assistant professor in residence in the Journalism and Strategic Communication Program at Northwestern Qatar. Before joining, he worked in New York at Alex Gibney’s award-winning film company, Jigsaw Productions, helping to produce an upcoming feature film by Paramount about the war in Afghanistan. He has worked as a journalist and documentary filmmaker, primarily at Al Jazeera English, focusing on interactive and multimedia stories for AJ’s digital platforms. His work focuses on stories from or about the Global South, with an emphasis on challenging the skewed portrayals of the region in global media. He has received journalism and filmmaking grants from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (New York Chapter), the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA), and the Pulitzer Center. Connect with Shakeeb Asrar 👉 https://instagram.com/shakeebasrar Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Ai or NAY? | Exploring Ai Ethics With Katy Gillett & Hadeer Omar
Sep 1200:55:45Tap to summarizeWe continue our discussion around the media majlis museum's recent exhibition "Ai or NAY?" and explore the ethics of AI, featuring insights from exhibition contributors Katy Gillett and Hadeer Omar. We delve into the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence, exploring the ethical considerations surrounding AI models that are increasingly influencing our lives and creativity. We tackle the nuances of AI as a tool, its societal impacts, and the balance between technological advancement and human agency. 0:00 AI and Human Intelligenc0:28 The Politics of AI0:49 The Petrifying Aspect of AI1:24 Introducing the Exhibition2:30 Artificial Versus Intelligent5:00 AI as a Tool for Artists9:35 Data and Geopolitics13:06 Optimism Amidst AI Challenges14:38 Transparency and Bias in AI18:34 The Laziness Induced by AI22:16 Hadeer's Exhibition Piece: How We See the Computer Versus How the Computer Sees Us26:00 AI and Surveillance30:25 The Unknowns of AI35:07 AI's Impact on Human Behavior and Skills40:26 The Dangers of Misinformation45:10 The Regional Approach to AI50:11 Key Takeaways from the Exhibition Hadeer Omar an Egyptian visual communicator and time-based media artist based in Qatar. After receiving her BFA in Graphic Design, she moved back to Egypt to apply visual arts to her practice. Omar attained an MFA in Design Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University Arts in Qatar. She crossed disciplines and mediums within art, design and film, presenting her identity through her work, which showcases her interest in the concept of hacking cultures visually. She combines mediums to explore numerous techniques and methods to produce her own illustrations, photographs and videos. There are stories behind each piece of her work. Omar has been given an honorary mention for her concept “3arabizi keyboard” at the STARTS Prize – Grand prize of the European Commission honoring Innovation in Technology, Industry and Society stimulated by the Arts. The project was exhibited in Ars Electronica festival in Linz, Austria and Drive: Volkswagen Group Forum in Berlin, Germany (2017). Recently, her visual diaries were displayed at the 202020 exhibition at VCU Arts Qatar’s gallery and at the Calligraphies in Conversation 2017 Exhibition at the San Francisco Public Library, U.S.A. “Hack you” video art, Cairo video festival (2015), “The reason” video art (2017), “Ouda w sala” Documentary short film (2011), “Rights of Passage” Stop motion, DOP, Short film (2017), “Chaos Antidote” experimental documentary short film (2017). Her work is personal and reflective that is documenting political and social events, displayed and featured internationally and locally online and offline. Currently, she is working as a teacher assistant at the Art Foundation Department at VCU Arts Qatar.Katy Gillett is a journalist, editor, and content strategist with almost two decades of experience working in newsrooms, magazines, agencies, and for brands in the UK and Middle East. She has written for numerous publications, including The National, Condé Nast Traveller, and Vogue. In addition to her work as a writer and editor, she has led editorial teams and shaped brand narratives for clients such as Toyota and Dubai World Trade Centre. Gillett's current work includes feature writing, editorial consultancy, and running her platform and newsletter, Desert Prose, which is designed to support media freelancers in the Middle East. She has also edited publications for Northwestern University in Qatar, including a glossary on AI and journalism.Connect with Katy Gillett 👉 https://instagram.com/katygillett Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Artificial vs. Intelligent | Jack Thomas Taylor
Aug 2900:56:40Tap to summarizeWe delve into the genesis and meaning behind the media majlis museum's groundbreaking exhibition, "Ai or Nay? Artificial vs. Intelligent," which challenges the dichotomous view of artificial intelligence. The curator of art, media, and technology at the museum, Jack Thomas Taylor, explores how AI, often presented as a utopian solution, is also a tool of surveillance and violence in the Arab world, a reality that the exhibition confronts head-on. He shares insights into how the museum approaches exhibition-making with a nuanced, non-Western perspective, and why the "dirty history" of museums is a conversation worth having in a regional context. We discuss the critical need for local voices in shaping AI and the dangers of a technology dominated by a singular perspective.The "Ai or Nay? Artificial vs. Intelligent" exhibition ran from January 15 to May 15, 2025, at the media majlis museum at Northwestern University in Doha, Qatar. It explored the evolving relationship between human creativity and machine learning, examining the opportunities and challenges AI presents for contemporary journalism and wider society. It was structured around four themes—Hindsight, Insight, Foresight, and Oversight—to encourage visitors to explore how AI transforms notions of privacy, identity, and representation. The exhibition featured a collection of more than 20 works by regional and international artists, including immersive digital experiences, newly commissioned works, and pieces loaned from institutions such as the Computer History Museum and the Barjeel Art Foundation. The exhibition's glossary of terms related to AI and journalism was available in both English and Arabic.Explore the mm:museum 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mediamajlismuseum/ 00:00 Introduction 02:07 "Ai or Nay?": The Genesis of the Exhibition's Idea03:15 The Paradox of Artificial versus Intelligent05:55 The State of AI at the Start of the Project09:02 Organizing the Exhibition: Hindsight, Insight, Oversight, Foresight13:16 The Importance of Regional Nuances16:51 The Violence of AI and Its Impact20:51 A Commissioned Artwork: "Artificial Target"25:31 The Future of AI and the Role of Humans34:54 The Challenge of Arabic Large Language Models38:41 The Scarcity of Knowledge and AI41:13 How AI Explores Creative Ownership45:41 The Oversight and Plagiarism of AI51:38 The "Ai or Nay" Glossary Jack Thomas Taylor is the Curator of Art, Media, and Technology at the Media Majlis Museum at Northwestern University in Qatar. A founding curator of the museum since 2017, Taylor has extensive experience in the arts, culture, and creative industries across the Gulf region, including in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, and Qatar. As an experienced curator and producer, he has managed exhibitions from conception to delivery and has held various positions in creative services and editorial work. Taylor is also a founding board member of the inaugural International Council of Museums (ICOM) national committee in Qatar.Connect with Jack Thomas Taylor 👉 https://instagram.com/bintaylor Hosted by Mikey MuhannaConnect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Accepting Linguistic Variety in Publishing Arabic | Enam Al-Wer and Omar Thawabeh
Jan 13, 202501:28:49Tap to summarizeWe organized a full-day symposium (October 26, 2024) with the mm:museum as part of their exhibition "The limits of my language are the limits of my world" at Northwestern Qatar this year. Three panel discussions took place which we are bringing you in three episodes on their podcast. This is the last one in the three in which we explore the history and vernaculars of Arabic, the state of Arabic publishing, and the role of translation in it all. Host Layan Abdul Shakoor highlights the challenges of publishing practices and guests Dr Enam Al-Wer and Omar Thawabeh share (respectively) their insights on linguistic variations and evolutions, and on the intricacies of translating between Arabic dialects. The panel also addresses the need for re-standardization of Arabic, overcoming barriers in the publishing industry, and fostering a love for the Arabic language among younger generations. 00:00 Introduction06:23 The Evolution & Variation of Arabic Language & Dialect 20:26 The Complexity of Using the Vernacular in Arabic Translation 34:22 Remodeling Fusha to Serve the Modern Arab Culture46:49:00 Q&A Round One Translation as a Form of SmugglingOwnership of Fusha and the Need for Re-Standardizathion of ArabicUrgency for Inclusivity of Dialects in Re-Standardized Arabic01:05:00 Q&A Round Two The Demand and Value in Publishing in Vernacular Arabic Challenges of Vernacular Use in PublishingThe Service of Fusha, Television and Vernacular ArabicThe Use of Verncular Arabic in Education and DubbingDr Enam Al-Wer is a Professor of Linguistics who earned her BA in English and German from the University of Jordan and a Diploma in German from the Goethe Institute, Munich. She completed her MLing in Manchester, focusing on the syntax of negation in Jordanian Arabic, and her PhD at the University of Essex, under Prof Peter Trudgill, examining phonological variation in women’s speech. Dr Enam has taught English Linguistics at Philadelphia University, Jordan, and sociolinguistics at both Cambridge University and Birkbeck College.Connect with Prof. Enam 👉 https://enamalwer.com/Omar Thawabeh is a Beirut-based translator, writer and the co-host of afikra's Outline podcast. His translations and essays were published in Bidayat, The Public Source, Oasis, among other platforms and magazines. In 2023, his Arabic translation of Lamia Ziadé’s graphic novel "Bye Bye Babylone" was published by Mauzoun.Connect with Omar 👉 @omarthawabehHosted by: Layan Abdul Shakoor 👉 https://www.instagram.com/layanabdulshakoorLayan is the founder and creative director of Mauzoun, the region’s first creative studio specializing in premium writing and boutique publishing. Under her leadership, Mauzoun has served over 100 clients across 15 countries, published numerous high-quality Arabic novels and coffee table books, and won prestigious awards, including the Publishing Accelerator Award and Ithra Arabic Content Initiative Grant. Renowned for setting new standards in bespoke content and royalty-based publishing, Layan continues to position Mauzoun as the Arab world’s premier writing and publishing house.Explore 👉 https://mauzoun.com/Read more about mm:museum's 2024 exhibition "The limits of my language are the limits of my world" 👉 https://mediamajlis.northwestern.edu/en/whats-on/exhibitions-programs/the-limits-of-my-language-are-the-limits-of-my-world-27-aug-2024-05-dec-2024 FOLLOW & RATE THE MEDIA MAJLIS MUSEUM PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/media-majlis-museum-podcast/id1763784587» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3p87MwQuJWOXG9X3h7NBuU» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1056900096THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6JKXIPDF5oHzzMEc_veM2nABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide explore.afikra.com🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly https://explore.afikra.com/podcast-network⚡ Become a member: https://explore.afikra.com/insiders🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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