A conversation with Prof Gilbert Achcar: Inequality in the MENA region and the impact of COVID-19

Welcome to the first podcast organised by the Early Career
Researchers initiative at the Middle East and North Africa Social
Policy Network. The early career initiative is working toward
providing more exposure to researchers and academics who are in
the early stages of their research career path. We organise a
series of mentoring sessions and webinars that talks about
inequality, human security, social protection in the middle east
and north Africa region.


Our first distinguished guest is Professor Gilbert Achcar. Prof
Achcar grew up in Lebanon, researched and taught in Beirut,
Paris and Berlin, and has been Professor of Development Studies
at SOAS, University of London, since 2007. Among his many books
are two books on the Arab Spring: The People Want: A Radical
Exploration of the Arab Uprising (published in 2013),
and Morbid Symptoms: Relapse in the Arab
Uprising (published 2016). He wrote a long essay titled "On
the ‘Arab Inequality Puzzle’: The Case of Egypt" that was
published in open access in the May 2020 issue
of Development & Change.


In this podcast, Noor Alabbas, our MENASP ECR Representative,
talks to Prof Achcar about the socio-economic inequality in the
MENA region and the impact of covid 19. The podcast starts with
discussing the definition of socio-economic inequality and the
different ways of measuring it. The podcast highlights the
historical roots of socio-economic inequality in the MENA region,
and how it fueled the continued protests in the region. In light
of such exceptional political circumstances within the Mena
region, the podcast discusses why the impact of covid 19 on
MENA differs from its impact on other regions.


Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the MENASP
podcasts are those of the invited speakers. They do not purport
to reflect the opinions or views of the Middle East and North
Africa Social Policy (MENASP) Network or the University of Bath.