Podcast Series: "Connecting Social Research to Society"

Series Introduction

Welcome to the podcast series "Connecting Social Research to Society."

I am Sari Hanafi, a Professor of Sociology at the American University of Beirut and the founder of the online platform "Athar Portal," which focuses on the social impact of scientific research about and from the Arab world.

I am pleased to present this series, in which each episode features an interview with a researcher in the social sciences and humanities, working in or around the Arab world. Each guest has a compelling research path and actively participates in public discussions.

This podcast was suggested by Athar Portal and is part of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, and the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies, both at the American University of Beirut. It is produced in collaboration with the Faaloun Center and the Arab Council for the Social Sciences.

In these interviews, we will address questions within four main themes:

• The first theme explores the motivation behind choosing a particular field in the social sciences or humanities and how this motivation relates to class, family, or political contexts.
• The second theme focuses on the researcher’s professional and intellectual journey.
• The third theme discusses the writings or interventions that sparked debate or controversy in the scientific community, the public, civil society, or internationally.
• The final theme covers the impact of the researcher’s work on society.

We will interview some of the most prominent researchers from across the Arab world, with diverse ages, research experiences, and institutional backgrounds. These in-depth interviews, around an hour each, aim to enrich our understanding of the target researchers’ experiences.

We hope you will regularly tune in to this podcast and subscribe to our channel by clicking the subscription button. Subscription is, of course, free.

Lastly, in addition to my interviews, my friend Mabrouk Boutkhoukha, a Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Batna 1, and Director of the Faaloun Center, will conduct other interviews, which will be released on our channel. So, stay tuned.

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