
Kalam
A podcast about the Middle East
Edgar Mannheimer
Show overview
Kalam has been publishing since 2024, and across the 2 years since has built a catalogue of 157 episodes. That works out to roughly 80 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.
Episodes typically run twenty to thirty-five minutes — most land between 24 min and 39 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. The publisher flags most episodes as explicit, so expect adult themes or strong language throughout. It is catalogued as a EN-language Society & Culture show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 1 months ago, with 28 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2024, with 77 episodes published. Published by Edgar Mannheimer.
From the publisher
Kalam is a podcast about the culture, history and politics of the Middle East. Hosted by seasoned radio journalist Edgar Mannheimer, Kalam aims to be a source of knowledge and understanding about a region of the world that is so often misunderstood. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest Episodes
View all 157 episodesVALSPECIAL 2026 (avsnitt 3) med Dritëro Kasapi
VALSPECIAL 2026 (avsnitt 2) med Kawtar Chibli
VALSPECIAL 2026 (avsnitt 1) med Özz Nûjen
70. The Assad Regime's Daughter that Joined the Revolution with Loubna Mrie
Rise & Fall of the Ba'th (Part 3): Ascent of the Assads (trailer)
Rise & Fall of the Ba'th (Part 2): Death of Arab Unity (trailer)
Egypt is Attacked and Trump Crashes out on Iran: Kalam Digest 49
Rise & Fall of the Ba'ath (Part 1) – The Schoolteachers who Conquered Syria (Unlocked)
Why are the US and Iran Back at War? Kalam Digest 48
69. Standing Together with Alon-Lee Green
68. Iran Strikes Israel with Borzou Daragahi
67. Empire, Anti-Imperialism and Marxism in the Middle East of Today with Nadim Haidar
66. Settler Terror on West Bank Escalating with Zena Tahhan

IRAN CEASEFIRE – Everyone Won and Nothing Changed: Kalam Digest 47
EA ceasefire has taken effect for at least two weeks, between the US, Israel and Iran. Lebanon is, according to Israel, not included. Negotiations will now commence on a permanent end to the war. Sam and Edgar discuss the latest. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

65. The Jewish Movement that Defied Zionism with Molly Crabapple
EMolly Crabapple is an artist and author from New York. She’s the author of the forthcoming book "Here Where We Live is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund". The Bund was a secular, progressive Jewish labour movement that existed in the first half of the 20th century in eastern and central Europe. The Bund, simply meaning organisation in Yiddish, was exactly the opposite of Zionism. They promoted the idea of hereness, which is to say that they did not need to go oppress Palestinians in a far off land to gain their freedom: They would stay and fight and liberate themselves. In the end, of course, the movement was destroyed by Hitler and Stalin. But today the movement serves as a powerful and important counterweight to the traditional Zionist narrative. Jews were not weak! They did not go like lamb to the slaughter! They fought back, and did everything they could to preserve Jewish dignity, Jewish life and Jewish progress, and their memory lives on. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

64. Power Gays & Muscle Jews with Fredrik "Apollo" Asplund
EToday's episode is a kind of theoretical journey through concepts like Homonationalism, Muscular Judaism and Power Gays. Our illustrious guest, Fredrik "Apollo" Asplund has spotted a similarity between the gays who were embraced by mainstream society in the early 2000's and the hardline Zionist conception of the strong and powerful Jew. Both archetypes exist as a kind of counterweight to less desirable gays, and less desirable Jews. These two concepts have today synthesised into the Tel Aviv Power Gay. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump Asks for Help – No One Answers: Kalam Digest 46
ESam and Edgar give you an update on the latest developments in the Iran War. The killing of Ali Larijani – amazingly a scholar of Immanuel Kant – could blow up in Israel's face as a more hardline figure may replace him. We also detail how Syria and Iraq are faring in the midst of this war. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

63. Umm Kulthum Forever: Kalam Live!
E"El Sett" is the new Egyptian biopic about the great Arab diva, Umm Kulthum. After an exclusive screening of the film in Stockholm, Edgar invited Egyptian curator, Mariam Elnozahy, and Egyptian multidisciplinary artist, Amr Hamid, for a conversation about the film, reactions to it in Egypt and about the icon Umm Kulthum herself. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Oil Prices Stop the War? Kalam Digest 45
EThe US' lack of exit strategy from Iran becomes apparent as oil prices soar and Trump vacillates between talking about an "excursion" which will be "wrapped up very soon" and threatening to make it impossible "to recover that section of the world". To solve the problem of oil the US would have to take control of the Strait of Hormuz, but will that be possible without boots on the ground? Trump seems to think so but Sam and Edgar are sceptical. Also on this episode: –Israel renews blockade of Gaza as genocide continues. –Heavy fighting in Lebanon amid looming government collapse. –Tenuous calm in Syria as the US hands over control of army bases in the north-east to Damascus government and Assad-loyalists continue attacks in Latakia.To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

62. Trump and Bibi's Endgame in Iran with Rami Khouri
ERami Khouri is a Palestinian-American author and analyst and a Distinguished Public Fellow at the American University of Beirut. In today's episode, Edgar speaks with Rami about the US-Israeli war on Iran, why they're waging it and what it could mean for the region at large. To listen to the episode ad-free subscribe to our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.