Sudan Pt.2: Hassan al-Turabi, Sudan’s Islamist Pioneer

The Conflicted Community is delighted to welcome back on to the show Philip Cunliffe, Associate Professor of International Relations at UCL and co-host of BungaCast! In this insightful conversation, Thomas and Philip dive into his new book, "The National Interest: Politics After Globalization."  They trace the evolution of the national interest from medieval times to today, discussing its distinction from nationalism and how it can foster genuine international cooperation. The episode also explores the rise and fall of national interest politics in the 20th century, contrasting it with earlier and later forms of globalization. Philip and Thomas then unpack the surprising relationship between progressive neoliberalism and populism, showing how these seemingly opposing forces often reinforce each other. They then tackle the crucial challenge of building new nations in a diverse, post-industrial world, emphasizing the importance of shared political will and collective interest, and offering a compelling argument for why a renewed focus on the national interest is vital for navigating 21st-century politics and revitalizing democratic engagement. To listen to the full episode, you’ll need to subscribe to the Conflicted Community. And don’t forget, subscribers can also join our Conflicted Community chatroom, where you can interact with fellow dearest listeners, discuss episodes past and future, get exclusive messages from Thomas and Aimen, ask future Q&A questions and so much more. All the information you need to sign up is on this link: https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/  Conflicted is proudly made by Message Heard, a full-stack podcast production agency which uses its extensive expertise to make its own shows such as Conflicted, shows for commissioners such as the BBC, Spotify and Al Jazeera, and powerfully effective podcasts for other companies too. If you’d like to find out how we can help get your organisation’s message heard, visit messageheard.com or drop an email to [email protected]! Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the past few weeks, Southern Syria has been engulfed in violence, between the Al-Sharaa regime, local Druze militias, and even Israel joining the fray. In season 5, we spoke to Nour Salam, a member of the Druze community from Suwayda, who explained the complex dynamics of the region. So this week, we're returning to that episode, to help you make sense of the events going on there today... Nour Salam is a Druze and a human rights and women’s rights activist whose family are originally from Suwayda, where she has been living since fleeing there in 2013. Through the war she worked as a field coordinator for Syrian civil society groups, and she is also a member of the Syrian Women’s Political Movement and many Suwayda-based initiatives supporting women’s rights. In this episode, Nour shares her unique perspective as a Druze woman from Suwayda, discussing her identity, the history of the Druze community, and the impact of the Syrian civil war on her life and activism. She reflects on her family's experiences under the Assad regime, and her involvement in the revolution, highlighting the complexities of Druze identity and their relationship with other communities in Syria. Thomas and Nour later explore the arrival of ISIS in Suwayda, and the subsequent rise of factional conflicts from local militias formed to protect against ISIS, who are still controversially playing their part in the ongoing instability of the region, alongside Israel, today. Season 5 has ended, but if you still want to have your Conflicted fix , then you’ll have to join our Conflicted Community. Subscribers will get bonus episodes every other week, and can also join our Conflicted Community chatroom, where you can interact with fellow dearest listeners, discuss episodes past and future, get exclusive messages from Thomas and Aimen, ask future Q&A questions and so much more. All the information you need to sign up to the Conflicted Community is on this link: https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/  Conflicted is proudly made by Message Heard, a full-stack podcast production agency which uses its extensive expertise to make its own shows such as Conflicted, shows for commissioners such as the BBC, Spotify and Al Jazeera, and powerfully effective podcasts for other companies too. If you’d like to find out how we can help get your organisation’s message heard, visit messageheard.com or drop an email to [email protected]! Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thomas and Aimen return to tackle a barrage of listener questions in this special Q&A episode, offering unparalleled insights into the ever-shifting landscape of Middle Eastern geopolitics. We begin with a deep dive into the recent US strikes on Iran, where Aimen details the real impact of "Bunker Buster" bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities. Did they cause the destruction that many in the US government are claiming? The pair then discuss your questions about the prospect of a more comprehensive Middle East peace deal, outlining the critical conditions, including Iran's nuclear ambitions and its ‘triple-H’ network of proxies. Aimen then sheds light on the complex negotiations involving Syria and Lebanon, revealing the potential for non-aggression pacts, albeit with significant concessions and challenges posed by entrenched ideological factions. The focus shifts to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the contentious rise of Israeli-backed "popular forces" there, before moving on to the broader theological principles that justify jihad in response to state-sponsored injustice. Finally, we expand our geographical scope to the increasingly dire situation in the Sahel region of West Africa, where jihadist groups like JNIM are rapidly gaining ground. To listen to the full episode, you’ll need to subscribe to the Conflicted Community. And don’t forget, subscribers can also join our Conflicted Community chatroom, where you can interact with fellow dearest listeners, discuss episodes past and future, get exclusive messages from Thomas and Aimen, ask future Q&A questions and so much more. All the information you need to sign up is on this link: https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/  Conflicted is proudly made by Message Heard, a full-stack podcast production agency which uses its extensive expertise to make its own shows such as Conflicted, shows for commissioners such as the BBC, Spotify and Al Jazeera, and powerfully effective podcasts for other companies too. If you’d like to find out how we can help get your organisation’s message heard, visit messageheard.com or drop an email to [email protected]! Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conflicted reaches the final episode of Season 5! We've journeyed from Africa to the historic toppling of the Assad regime in Syria, and now, to bring the season to a close, Thomas is joined once again by Aimen to reassess all the topics we’ve discussed this season. In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Aimen and Thomas discuss the state of Syria following 14 years of civil war, exploring the new complexities for Al-Sharaa’s regime. As with our previous Syria episodes, Aimen then shares a truly moving and tragic story about his nephew, Ibrahim, who, at just 19, traveled to Syria to fight. Aimen reflects on Ibrahim's motivations, the difficult conversations they had, and the profound impact of his nephew's death on him, especially in light of the recent fall of Damascus.  The conversation then shifts to the challenges facing President Ahmad Al-Sharaa's new government in Syria. Aimen provides an insider's view on the internal threats and opportunities for stabilisation, highlighting key areas like food security, electricity, and telecommunications infrastructure.  Finally, Thomas and Aimen broaden their scope to discuss the wider regional implications - from the war in Gaza, to a survey of Africa’s role in the multipolar world. While season 5 has come to a close, if you want to have your Conflicted fix every single week, then you’ll have to join our Conflicted Community. Subscribers will get bonus episodes every other week, and can also join our Conflicted Community chatroom, where you can interact with fellow dearest listeners, discuss episodes past and future, get exclusive messages from Thomas and Aimen, ask future Q&A questions and so much more. All the information you need to sign up to the Conflicted Community is on this link: https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/  And be sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled for Conflicted season 6, coming soon… Conflicted is proudly made by Message Heard, a full-stack podcast production agency which uses its extensive expertise to make its own shows such as Conflicted, shows for commissioners such as the BBC, Spotify and Al Jazeera, and powerfully effective podcasts for other companies too. If you’d like to find out how we can help get your organisation’s message heard, visit messageheard.com or drop an email to [email protected]! Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On a regular Thursday in July 2005, the peaceful morning air was shattered as four bombs ripped through the underground in central London. 52 people were killed, over 700 others were injured. London had never seen bombings of this magnitude before, never with this coordination. In the first episode of this special series of Conflicted, we hear from survivors, emergency workers and a former Al Qaeda spy as we recount the heart-pounding and tumultuous events of that fateful Thursday in July.  It sets up a series where we will investigate the last two decades of terrorism and counter terrorism in the UK. How did it develop? What were the motivations behind? And why did terrorism, and the perceived threat of it, change the way in which the UK thinks about its own citizens? You can binge all episodes of 7/7: The Inside Story exclusively and ad-free, right now on Wondery+. Start your free trial in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or by visiting ⁠Wondery.fm/insidestory⁠ To listen to more bonus episodes like this one, subscribe to the Conflicted Community. And don’t forget, subscribers can also join our Conflicted Community chatroom, where you can interact with fellow dearest listeners, discuss episodes past and future, get exclusive messages from Thomas and Aimen, ask future Q&A questions and so much more. All the information you need to sign up to the Conflicted Community is on this link: https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/  Conflicted is proudly made by Message Heard, a full-stack podcast production agency which uses its extensive expertise to make its own shows such as Conflicted, shows for commissioners such as the BBC, Spotify and Al Jazeera, and powerfully effective podcasts for other companies too. If you’d like to find out how we can help get your organisation’s message heard, visit messageheard.com or drop an email to [email protected]! Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices