In this episode, Ayman is joined by Dara Eilo. Dara is an Assyrian activist and human rights advocate who has been involved in organising activities in Syria and Lebanon for the past decade and a half. Our conversation focused on the events that have taken place in Northern Syria since Jan 13, specifically the fighting between STG (that is, the new Syrian government) and the Kurdish-led SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces). What began as military operations to capture all of Aleppo, of which some neighbourhoods were held by the SDF, ended up being a wide-ranging conflict that saw the central government control large areas like Deir Azzor and Raqqa. Meanwhile, the territory controlled by the SDF shrank significantly.At the time of recording, fighting was still ongoing, and there was a very real fear amongst Kurdish communities of a war of extermination, as they described it, an existential war.This episode was recorded on January 24, and that’s important to note because things have already changed since then. After the recording, we learned that a ceasefire was announced by the Syrian government. Then, six days later, on January 30, a comprehensive agreement was signed between the transitional government and the SDF, which includes a ceasefire, gradual integration of SDF battalions in the Syrian Army and civic integration into regional municipalities.The conversation you are about to listen to, like most of the interviews I do on this podcast, is not one that focuses on geopolitics, large narratives, or predictive analysis about what is going to happen next. Instead, as though sitting in a cafe in Beirut, it is a conversation between two people who are deeply connected to the current moment, seeing what is happening on the ground but also the discourse online, and connecting with their shared grief, frustrations, and thoughts.Of course, it goes without saying that we stand in solidarity with the Kurdish people, and with all people who are struggling under systems of oppression and domination.Links:Dara's InstagramAssyrian Movement for Collective LiberationBecome a member of the FTP Patreon today: https://www.patreon.com/c/fromtheperiphery

Today’s episode, the first for 2026, is a very very special one. I sit and talk with the Palestinian writer Tarek Baconi, who recently released a book entitled Fire In Every Direction. The book is a memoir that tracks Baconi’s upbringing as a queer Palestinian in Amman, Jordan, as well as the personal process of his political awakening. I can’t recommend this book enough, its so powerful, and at least for me, incredibly relatable.The conversation we hold jumps right into it. We talk about our shared experiences growing up queer in different Arab capitals and decades, him in Amman in the 90s, me in Beirut in the 2000s. We talk about Queer Arab identity, about the scholarship that exists on the subject, and the movements on the ground. Ultimately, our conversation is grounded in a mutual understanding that queer liberation is inextricably tied to our collective liberation in the global south, here specifically, in the levant or bilad al sham.You don’t have to have read the book in order to follow this conversation, but I do recommend getting hold of a copy if you’re able to.Here is a link for where you can buy a copy.Also if you appreciate this conversation, I’ll also provide a link below for the group I am a part of in Lebanon, Queer Mutual Aid Lebanon. For a number of reasons, we are running dangerously low on funds, and so are holding a sustained fundraiser to get more people to join our Patreon. More description of the work we do is in the About section of the Patreon.

In this episode of the Politically Depressed Podcast, I’m joined by a returning guest Sara al-Hassan. Sara is a Sudanese commentator and activist who has worked tirelessly to spread knowledge and awareness about the war in Sudan and before that the revolution and beyond. Like all the interviews I do for this podcast, this is an intimate conversation that centers Sara as a person first and foremost. We do of course talk about the war in Sudan, the developments over the last few months, and the discourses around it. But importantly we also talk about how messed up everything is, draw comparisons between Sudan, Lebanon, and Palestine, and really explore the question: how do we get people to care? How to keep people engaged? -- -- -- Follow Sara on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/bsonblast/ Twitter: https://x.com/BSonblast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bsonblast.bsky.socialTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bsonblast-- -- -- Follow me onInsta: https://www.instagram.com/politically_depressed/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/aymanmak.bsky.social-- -- -- Become a member of the Patreon today: https://www.patreon.com/c/fromtheperiphery-- -- --#sudan #war #revolution #activism #empathy #politics #history #africa #middleeast

So many things around us are collapsing all the time. Economies, political norms, communities, our ability to comprehend what the hell is happening and how to stop it and build something different. In this episode, I talk to Lebanese illustrators Rawand Issa about a series of Instagram stories she wrote a month ago about her decision to return to Beirut after leaving 3 years ago. The stories resonated deeply with me and so we talk about her experience away, as in immigrant in Istanbul, but also her return to Beirut and the inevitable mismatch between expectations and realities.Politically Depressed Podcast is a weekly podcast about being depressed during times of political, economic, and ecological collapse. Through solo episodes and interviews, I try to explore politics as lived-experience and asks the question: Can we ever stop being depressed if the world remains as horrible as it is? If you like this episode Tip me in my Tip Jar: https://ko-fi.com/aymanmak #lebanon #migration #community

Going back home always reminds me why I started this project. It's a constant reminder how everything is so absurd and terrifying and intense and how we're all pretty much losing our minds. I talk about my recent trip to Lebanon, share updates and talk about future episodes/video essays that i'm working on. -- -- -- Liked this episode? Become a member of the patreon: Patreon.com/fromtheperipheryTip me in my tip jar: https://ko-fi.com/aymanmak#beirut #psychology #podcast

The sectarian violence in Sweida, Southern Syria has genuinely been keeping me up at night. The images, stories, and potentials for further violence is just really hard to process. There's also a lot of confusion as to what exactly is happening, how did this start, and how does it end. In this episode I try to provide some overview of the situation, but mostly talk about my thoughts and feelings watching this unfold and seeing all the discourse online, and denounce in as strong of terms as possible the violent sectarianism of it all. Syrian Druze communities are under great threat at the moment, and its really scary. As I say in the episode, there have been attacks as Bedouin community and security forces at the hands of Druze militias, but that does not, in anyway justify massacres of Druze civilians and of the sectarian hate being spewed at them online.For a decent chronological breakdown of how this started I recommend this short video by Charles Lister: https://x.com/Charles_Lister/status/1945976275606089749 There's also this very informative episode of a podcast recorded in March with two activists from Sweida (very helpful for background info for whats happening now): https://www.patreon.com/posts/stir-2-unrest-in-128972762For the full list of social media pages and accounts to follow please check the description in my youtube video (all the links look super clunky here): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K2nnauhj9M&ab_channel=PoliticallyDepressed-- -- Liked this episode? Tip me in my tip jar: ko-fi.com/aymanmakOr become a monthly member @ patreon.com/fromtheperiphery

I've never slept well. But of course the political catastrophes around all of us make it even harder. I talk about my issues with sleep, what I've been doing/not doing, and ask you how you've been dealing sleep and sleeplessness. --- --- Give me a tip: ko-fi.com/aymanmakBecome a member of the FTP Patreon: patreon.com/fromtheperiphery

I'm making a few changes and wanted to keep you all up to date. Hope to see you all on my Youtube Channel. Note: This is not announcing the end of this podcast. It's more of an expansion, but in a slightly different direction. Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_d8-WfM5gyULH5zL0_e89ALove and solidarity,Ayman

I left twitter last year, soon after Musk took it over. It's no longer a safe place to be. So I moved to Bluesky, which has its own set of problems, but nowhere near as problematic as twitter. But on saving grace is the few brilliant accounts I've encountered while there. In this episode I talk to the person behind one such account, Emissary of Night. A queer lefty Arab intellectual in predominantly English speaking spaces, we definitely had a lot to talk about. So over an hour and a bit we talk about a lot: Edward Said, the role of the intellectual in Palestinian liberation, Bluesky, Twitter, Tankies, Liberals, the War on Terror, being an Arab watching American media. It's a lot and it was great. I hope you enjoy listening half as much as I enjoyed having the conversation. Note: This was recorded on June 7.You can follow Leila on Bluesky @diplomatofnight.com‬Leila also just started a new blog: https://to-our-land.ghost.io/ To give me a tip: ko-fi.com/aymanmakBecome a member of the FTP Patreon: patreon.com/fromtheperiphery#palestine #bluesky #podcast

In this episode, I talk with Peggy, someone whose wisdom and approach I've found really nourishing in this time of depleting catastrophe. I just like talking to her and she always comes up with really interesting insights. We initially met in the Palestine watch party, which I hosted, and many of the things she said in those discussions are still with me. We talk about a wide-range of topics and so its hard to sum up. If there's anything that's said that sparks your interest, let me know in the comments and I'll definitely respond. You can follow Peggy on Instagram: @halmonipower@lei4palestinePeggy also has a blog at https://stillinsirsasana.blogspot.com/--- --- Like this podcast? Consider supporting it by:Leaving a tip in my⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tip Jar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Becoming a member of the⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Following me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Following me on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky⁠⁠