09: Motivation at the Darkest Times: What Drives the Learners of Gaza

10: Researching Peace; Caught in War : One Scholar's Fieldwork Journey in Gaza

In this episode, we hear from Arwa Alzraiy, an UNRWA teacher from Gaza and PhD scholar at Durham University, who travelled to Gaza for her fieldwork but had to interrupt it when the 2023 war began and she returned to her UNRWA duties. Still trapped in Gaza, she is now slowly returning to her research. Arwa is researching peace while living through war. Her story raises urgent questions about the responsibility and power of international universities to support students and researchers from conflict zones. She reflects on the challenges and contradictions she faced, how she does not feel she has “survived,” and how she draws on her faith and her commitment to be useful to her community, and to the research she believes can serve it. --Join Mona Jebril in Conversation with Arwa Alzraiy

09: Motivation at the Darkest Times: What Drives the Learners of Gaza

This episode delves into the fierce determination of learners in Gaza amid the gravest times. What drove them to keep learning when everything around them was collapsing? Were there singular forces of motivation, or many, and which proved strongest in such a harsh reality? How can motivation survive, or even rise, under conditions this extreme? We explore what these insights mean for policymakers, the far-reaching implications they carry, and how they challenge the global pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (Mona Jebril talks to Tahani Al-Dahdouh)

08: The Aid Paradox: Why Foreign Aid Fails Universities in Conflict Zones

Foreign aid to higher education in conflict zones often bypasses local priorities, even when universities are crucial for rebuilding and recovery after violent conflict. New research reveals the limitations of aid where it is most needed, showing that much of it is directed toward scholarships rather than strengthening local institutions. This episode explores the latest findings on this issue, highlighting the need to rethink that balance so aid can truly support the reconstruction of higher education, and the future of the people it is meant to serve.

07: Without Sound; Not Without Pain: Lives With Hearing Loss in Gaza

In Gaza, people with hearing loss are experiencing a crisis within a crisis. Already navigating a world that demands extra resilience, they now face bombardment, displacement, and the destruction of the institutions that once supported them. Blast injuries and trauma are creating new cases every day, leaving more people isolated in silence. This episode shines a light on their daily struggles — and on the urgent protection gap for Gaza’s community living with hearing loss. Mona Jebril talks to Fady Abed (Director of Gaza Atfaluna for Deaf Children)

06: Stolen Futures: Education, Freedom, and Afghan Women in the Era of Taliban

In this episode, we explore the situation for women in Afghanistan under the Taliban, comparing the present to their previous rule. We discuss the severe restrictions imposed on women, the reasons behind these measures, and how women are responding to these challenges. The role of men in supporting or resisting these changes is also examined. Additionally, we consider the impact of the U.S. invasion and withdrawal, whether online education can offer temporary relief, and the potential pathways for Afghan women to reclaim their rights and freedoms. (Mona talks to Weeda Mehran)