Just World Books Podcasts

From 2007 through 2012, American peace activists Gabe Huck and Theresa Kubasak ran an innovative project in Damascus, Syria, to provide mentoring to some of the many young Iraqis who had then found refuge in Syria from the terrible conflicts then raging inside US-occupied Iraq... to prepare them to win entry to-- and succeed at-- four-year colleges around the U.S. In May 2016, many of the 60-plus graduates of this mentoring program gathered in Chicago for a reunion. Helena Cobban, the President of Just World Educational, was lucky enough to invited along. This is the first of two interviews she conducted there with graduates of the program.Support the show

This a Just World Educational podcast, in which JWE President Helena Cobban talks on the phone with Rabbi Brant Rosen about his recent experience taking part in an action organized by the Center for Jewish Nonviolence-- and also, about he's found it being both a Jewish leader in his hometown, Chicago, and also a senior manager for the leading Quaker service organization there.Support the show

On June 21, Just World Books CEO Helena Cobban had a fascinating 40-minute discussion with Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr., author of the recently published book America's Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East. In the conversation, Freeman discussed the recently-reported letter that 51 currently serving junior and mid-level diplomats signed onto, in which they called for tougher action against Syria's President Assad; Russia's role in Syria; the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement for Palestinian rights-- and much more.Support the show

Since March 2015, a Saudi-led military coalition has pursued a very destructive military action inside the populous Arabian Peninsula country of Yemen. In late April 2016, Dr. Sheila Carapico, the editor of the new book Arabia Incognita: Dispatches from Yemen and the Gulf, discussed the Yemen situation in Washington DC with fellow-expert Dr. Michael Hudson. In this 95-minute podcast, you can learn more about the book and hear their discussion.Support the show

A fascinating, 50-minute discussion held at the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair among the authors of 'The Gaza Kitchen', Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, and Claudia Roden, the doyenne of Mediterranean cuisine documentation.Support the show

This is the recording of the great discussion that Richard Falk, author of "Chaos and Counterrevolution: After the Arab Spring" had with Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies, to mark the book's June 9th launch. A thoughtful seminar with two renowned experts.Support the show

Berkeley Fellowship Unitarian-Universalist hosted a lively discussion with Gareth Porter in early April, about his new book 'Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare.' The evening was co-sponsored by BFUU's Social Justice Committee and Project Censored. The discussion was moderated by Project Censored head Mickey Huff.Support the show

Matt Zeller, author of the fine memoir 'Watches Without Time: An American Soldier in Afghanistan', has been waging a big campaign to save the life of his interpreter, Janis Shinwari. Hear about his campaign-- and also hear an excerpt from his book telling of his parting from Shinwari in Kabul, in december 2008.Support the show

To mark the publication of the abridged edition of Laila El-Haddad's classic 'Gaza Mom' book, we present a short reading from the book that focuses on the terrible problems Laila, like all Gaza's people, has in trying to get in and out of her home territory.Support the show

Rami Zurayk is a Lebanese agronomist and social activist. In this podcast, Just World Books owner Helena Cobban reads an excerpt from his 2011 book 'Food, Farming, and Freedom'. The excerpt is a charming account of a short visit he and his family made to Aleppo, Syria, in July 2009.Support the show

Laila El-Haddad, co-author of our much-acclaimed recent cookbook 'The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey' was recently back in Gaza. Though her time there was hectic, we caught up with her soon after her return to the United States, and talked with her about the reactions Gaza's people had to the cookbook-- and also about how the recent moves by the Egyptian military to close down the one remaining crossing point between Gaza and the rest of the world have affected people in the Strip. As a bonus, at the end, Just World Books owner Helena Cobban reads an excerpt from 'The Gaza Kitchen'.Support the show

Just back from ten days in China, Chas Freeman, the author of 'Interesting Times: China, America, and the Shifting Balance of Prestige' describes and assesses how the many high-level Chinese officials he talked to there propose to calm the tensions currently wracking East Asia, regarding North Korea and other issues.Support the show

Dr. William Quandt, veteran Middle East analyst and editor of 'Troubled Triangle: The United States, Turkey, and Israel in the New Middle East,' discusses the latest breakthrough in Turkish-Israeli relations with Dr. Sebnem Gumuscu from Sabanci University and Dr. Soli Özel from Kadir Has University during his recent trip to Turkey.Support the show

Matt Zeller, author of 'Watches Without Time: An American Soldier in Afghanistan,' discusses the highlights from his recent college speaking tour and his key lessons learned from Afghanistan—some of which come from surprising places. Matt also reflects on the 10th anniversary of the Iraq War, what the war in Afghanistan would have looked like if we had never invaded Iraq, and how these wars have reignited the issue of veterans’ mental health.Support the show

In this podcast, Rabbi Brant Rosen, author of 'Wrestling in the Daylight: A Rabbi’s Path to Palestinian Solidarity,' shared his reflections on his book and how it has impacted his understanding of “what to do” with his beliefs and convictions as well as provided his insights about the effects of Operation Cast Lead, the Gaza flotilla incident, and other Israeli actions on both the views of young American Jews and the Arab Spring. He also offers his opinion on what President Obama should do in his second term about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Support the show

Miko Peled, author of 'The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine' discussed his fascinating recent travels in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan with Just World Books owner Helena Cobban. In this conversation, Miko also looked back at some of the main things he's learned doing book events around 'The General's Son' over the past ten months. Support the show

Thirty years ago this month, fighters from Lebanon's Christian-extremist Phalangist militia, working in close coordination with the Israeli military, committed massacres against unarmed Palestinians in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila that shocked the world. JWB author Jonathan Randal was in Beirut at the time. In this podcast, which is linked to the recent publication of his book "The Tragedy of Lebanon: Christian Warlords, Israeli Adventurers, and American Bunglers", Randal discussed the lasting legacy of the Sabra and Shatila massacres with Just World Books owner Helena Cobban.Support the show

Yaprak Gursoy, a contributor to Troubled Triangle: The United States, Turkey, and Israel in the New Middle East and a professor at Istanbul's Bilgi University, discussed Turkey's role in the Syrian crisis and other regional arenas in a mid-August interview with JWB's Dalia Mortada.Support the show

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In this 26-minute podcast, Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr. discusses the risk of heightened U.S. confrontation with Iran during the current election year. He says he expects little U.S. activism in Palestinian-Israeli peacemaking-- and that U.S. influence in the region is anyway declining. Also, that there is now little prospect of a two-state outcome emerging. He also gives a smart assessment of the effects of the Arab Spring at its first anniversary.Support the show