The decline of the US empire and what replaces it | Hamid Dabashi | UNAPOLOGETIC

Hamid Dabashi is an Iranian-American professor at Columbia University. He has authored more than 20 books and has expertise in subject areas including Iran, US foreign policy, the Middle East, identity politics and empire.
Dabashi grew up in Ahvaz in Iran, moved to Tehran in the 1970s and then relocated to the USA with his family in 1976.
In this interview he speaks about what life was like growing up in an Iran that was ruled by the CIA-backed shah and what it was like experiencing the Iranian revolution from afar, seeing the repressive regime of the Shah being replaced by a repressive theocracy.
Dabashi then touches on confronting the US empire and white supremacy as a brown-skinned Muslim in a period when the US has been engaged in wars in Arab and Muslim lands.
He recollects his long-standing friendship with the Palestinian intellectual Edward Said and how they as faculty of Columbia University along with other colleagues planted seeds that have blossomed into what have become solidarity protests with the Palestinian national cause on Columbia’s campus, which he describes as a “glorious sight”.
Dabashi believes that zionism, white supremacy and any other settler colonial ideology will inevitably be doomed.
Hosted by Ashfaaq Carim
00:00 Intro
00:55 Impact of growing up in Iran, two years after Mossadegh was removed by the CIA
04:58 Life in Ahwaz, cosmopolitan family, vodka and Umm Kulthoom
07:49 Was the repression under the shah apparent and June 1963 uprising
10:10 Political discussion inside the Dabashi household
11:10 Going to study undergraduate degree in Tehran in the 1970s
13:20 Getting an education be reading banned books
15:00 The sense of subversiveness in1970s Iran under the Shah
17:30 Gained in translation - learning from anti-colonials around the world
20:08 Immigrating to the USA in 1976 - did you feel a revolution was on the way
24:15 Living in the USA while the Iranian revolution is taking place
26:15 Your own sentiments on the Iranian revolution
28:00 How Khomeini crushed opposition
30:45 Limited media access in the USA to understand the revolution
32:15 What does't the west understand about Iran - immigrants civilising the pallet of the USA
35:00 On becoming more rooted in the USA
37:00 Did you think the Mullahs would still be in charge of Iran for so long
39:00 Edward Said and the exilic condition
40:48 Why would Iran unravel
42:15 How has living inside of empire changed you - 9/11 and the Gulf Wars
45:00 Becoming more conscious of being a muslim after 9/11
48:15 U.S mobing away from real politik and into ideological white supremacy
51:00 When BLM took statues down and the racism of european enlightenment
55:00 How has Zionism used white supremacy
59:45 When Hamid Dabashi and Edward Said first tried to do a divestment campaign at Columbia
01:03:00 On being a subversive academic
01:06:00 The importance and diversity of the present protests
01:07:30 Attempts to delegitimise the protests are futile - The NYT should be studied for bias
01:10:30 The juxtaposition of calling out empire while being in the centre of empire
01:12:50 When Edward Said was demonised
01:16:20 Being critical of everything is liberating
01:18:20 What would Edward Said's reaction be to all that is going on
01:22:00 When will we see Palestinian liberation
01:24:30 One state solution is the only solution
01:27:00 The protestors are the moral conscious of the time
01:28:00 Judaism is being liberated from zionism
01:29:14 Who's gonna save humanity from white supremacy
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[@nicolevance8705]

Hear me out.. Some days I hate the internet. Today at 6:30am for me.. I am listening to a conversation, or for me sitting crossed legged, having over an hour of learning from a wonderful human being.. I love this.

[@disdoncable]

He's a shill and mouthpiece for the Ayatollah regime in Iran. You should ask him about his thoughts on the regime's treatment of women in Iran....

[@ahimsainthekitchen]

Internet, Social Media...2-sided coin. There is so much garbage out there (reflecting horrible humans that walk among us), but there is also a lot of good. A lot of information and education. We need to seek out the Independent media and independent channels. I no longer watch main stream media, I have not been watching them for years. There is nothing to learn or gain from them. They are all just government tool that are supposed to feed us certain narrative.

[@UnionofHumanity]

Amen

[@user-pn4np6uf3e]

“Judaism is being liberated from Zionism”, great quote!

[@hiltonwatkins6750]

Very significan statement! I wish we could distinguish between all the citizens of the world who do not harbor a desire to dominate others. I believe most of us are happy to interact with everyone without these religious differences and without terrible ideas of white suprenacy and so on. I remember when I first met an Iranian refugee from the crisis in 79. My office sent me to interview an architect escaped recently from Teheran. What followed was a long friendship during which he succeeded in getting registered as an architect and opening his own firm. This experience left me with a very warm feeling for Iranian people and since tgen I have met many wonderful Iranians who contribute so much to our country.

[@xxvxxv5588]

Why Judaism is something better than zionism?

[@wedas67]

This belongs to Naomi Klein

[@jaialaiwarrior]

And a meaningless one. You actually think Jews are going to give up property rights? Political rights? Their national right to self-determination. Communism didn't accomplish this and neither will your theocratic imperialism.

[@stephenhardy312]

Says it all!

[@Nobody-zv5lp]

Excellent interview! Both the interviewee and the interviewer did a great job. I did not know of Hamid Dabashi. But when I heard him speak about his life in Iran and subsequent studies and life in the US, in the backdrop of the historical events like the Iranian Revolution, and the multiple wars that the world has seen since then, it rings true to the similar life of many immigrants. Prof Dabashi outlined what our planet's priorities should be and not suppression of free speech. Genocide must stop and Palestinians must have a state. Thank you!

[@brianm592]

We share the same exact thought. Couldn't say it better. Do you live in the USA? I spent one decade of my life there in Cali.

[@Nobody-zv5lp]

@@brianm592 Yes I have been living in the US for more than four decades. I came from a british colony and was sceptical of the imperial colonial nature of the USA as I bought the pill of "democracy, freedom, .." which was broken by first 9/11 and the aftermath, and subsequent wars inflicted on Asia, South America and Africa, and completely eradicated by the difference between the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

[@constantineblyuz5786]

YOU ARE THE MAIN SLAVE TRADERS!!!! YOU, the ARABS. YOU TRADED AFRICVAN SLAVES FOR 1000 YEARS. DOES THIS "professor" tell it?

[@afshanfatima5104]

Very eloquent. The professor did an amazing job

[@What-kw6ox]

I couldn’t be prouder of my people in Gaza. They are going to inadvertently change this world

[@LayLoow]

💯 they’ve shown how dirty this world is

[@alutacontinua725]

They are going to liberate the world from itself

[@tomtesoro5465]

Truly historic era and the dead are the martyrs we will remember forever

[@Kayotesden]

And we will strive not to forget any of the names...

[@marcelleratafia2360]

😪

[@miroslawkorek6843]

Thank you for this great Iranian point of view . I am a Polishman in Paris and feeling very close to your way. All the best for you professeur

[@julianfoster3581]

Many interesting comments. This one in particular’ “There is a tremendous volume of scholarship (in the US) but it has no organic link to public knowledge.”

[@akeleven]

Our media empires need to fall.

[@ahimsainthekitchen]

@@akeleven ...along with the 2 party abusive system.

[@khalilazarani7033]

Excellent and informative. Thanks

[@4bu41i]

Bravo! Great history lesson.

[@kateoneal4215]

The citizens of the US must vote for JILL STEIN, recently arrested for demonstrating for Palestine! ❤

[@swamivardana9911]

Why!

[@BigAngelEyes]

They want America to go Communist...which means the Globalists win... Only Rich & Poor...no more Middle Class anywhere. ​@@swamivardana9911

[@adz-ql6kv]

@@swamivardana9911 he's hoodwinked by a another grifter and doesn't know Jill Stein's history otherwise he wouldn't say such things.

[@kan3284]

Cornell West 🎉

[@ComradeFromRhody401]

@@kan3284 love Dr. West and I have been phone banking for him, but he’s not getting on any ballots. Jill is. She’s our best Hope.

[@iamnot1]

Fantastic interview with the great academician Dr. Hamid Danashi ❤ This is a superb lecture that I know will be watched and cherished multiple times 🙏❤️

[@shahzee2690]

Hello, I enjoyed your interview. Some of my views are different than Professor Hamid Dabashi. I came from a well to do Iranian family to US at the end of 1975. My undergraduate was in Me ha I also Engineering from Alabama A&M. Then moved to SanDiego continued my education received my MBA and later on my Ph.D. In Leadership & Human Behavior which is an interdisciplinary field. I studied leadership, Psychology, and Sociology. I have always been a Shia Moslem. I also endured the difficult times in US. The Iranian government basically took most of out assets and put all of my family in difficult times to the point that our entire lifestyle changed. This was totally unacceptable because we didn’t have much in US and we didn’t do anything wrong. They took it because we were out of Iran and later on we got very little back. They claimed that they have supervised our assets and this was an excuse to take our assets. We had people supervising our assets. They literally stole, and usurped everything. We were not political at all. In spite of this injustice to my family and many other families, I supported Iranian government because of my religious beliefs. I also criticized Iranian government whenever I saw wrong behavior. We all know the corruption of some of the government officials, the monopoly of imports, nepotism, mismanagement in many areas. We are also aware that some of our countrymen in the Iranian Government have been working as spies for foreign governments. Some of these spies have been tried snd punished by death sentence. The Iranian economy is very bad and this is the results of poor corrupted management as well as unfair sanctions imposed to Iran by the US. In spite of all the problems, Iran has experienced a vast improvement in different fields of science. There are many universities in Iran. Most people are well educated. Iran is among the very few countries in nano technologies, Plasma technology, and others . Iran out of a necessity was forced to creat very powerful defence. The drones, the missiles, and so are very low in price and effective in the battlefield. Islam is the ideology of the government which is compatible with peoples religious beliefs. Iran has effectively helped many countries In both Moslem and non Moslem. Iran empowered these countries and groups. I strongly believe that Iranian government has helped foreign countries better than Iranians. Iran has effectively helped some groups and governments regardless of any religious affiliations. I was one of the students of Professor Herbert Blumer a renowned Sociologist. He believed that social dissatisfaction donecessarily leads to a revolution. It depends on how you interpret the social dissatisfaction. Most Iranians from early years of the revolution up to now blame foreign sanctions and interferences are the causes of their dissatisfaction. They blame US, England, Germany, and other Western countries for most of Iran’s problems. They endured many pressure from the Westerners during the 8 year war with Saddam Hossein. All these countries were behind Saddam financially and militarily. Arab countries were sending soldiers. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait spent billions. The information which I gathered from Iran and the knowledge of Social movements from professor Blumer caused me to realize that Iranian government is not going to be toppled. I have been saying this since 1982 that none of these so called oppositions and social dissatisfactions will lead to Iranian government collapse. Iran is the only country in the world that has been helping Palestinians since the inception of the Iranian revolution in 1979 up to now. Iran closed down the Israeli embassy and replaced it with Palestinian embassy in 1979. We all can witness that Iran organized, trained and empowered freedom fighter groups in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yamen, and others. Iran taught them to make their own weapons and be self sufficient. Unfortunately the rest of the Moslem and Arab countries are sitting aside and not taking any steps to help Palestinians. I am very sorry that America has been helping the Zionist regime with billions of tax payers money all these years. I am sad that the weapons are provided to this illegitimate racist government to kill civilians, women, children, and reporters.I have spent most of my life in America. Therefore it is natural to like America, but I have always expressed my dissatisfaction with American foreign policy. The US backed Coup of Iran in 1953, establishing the most dreaded secret police (SAVAK), constant interfering with Iran’s internet renal affairs, instigating and organising riots and movements by spending enormous amount of money through media and individuals in Iran. The American invasion of Panama, Afghanistan, Iraq, and…… American students are now arrested because of their support for Palestinians against Zionist occupation and animalistic behavior. I have been predicting the US decline for more than 30 years now. There is an awakening world wide now about the zionists atrocities in the last 76 years against Palestinians, as well as many western countries involvement in other countries. People are getting more aware of the lies and hypocrisy. There will be a decline of US power. There will be other powers in the world like Russia, China, and Iran. There will be a balance of power. The undemocratic security council of the United Nations will be changed. There will be some changes and adjustments in all governments in the world. Countries are going to be interdependent. There will be more cooperation and collaboration among all nations in many fields.

[@Boycott_for_Occupied_Palestine]

Thanks for the long comment you wrote. It was enlightening to read.

[@Nobody-zv5lp]

Thank you for your writeup. Very informative!

[@infocus2160]

Excellent🎉

[@Nkay255]

I agree

[@user-dd8cq6pl3h]

Thank you for sharing your views. I think we all are going through the most transformative period in Modern and Post-modern history. It's very challenging for many people of faith. Hereby I mean Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I would say that the problem is not in the Books, but in the interpretation . So-called Human Factor. However, I feel that I do struggle with understanding of some places in The Koran, where I see the call for violence. Most probably I need to read more on the Philosophy of Islam and look deeper. The same thing is true for Talmud. A lot of statements in their teaching make me upset and deeply concerned. Though, as a Christian I 'm fully into the Torah and New Testament. My personal stumbling block is the jewish teaching of the Cabal and the whole set of ideas promoted by Kabbalist's. In my humble opinion the root of very many today's problems is somewhere in jewish gnosticism and its influence on the European Philosophy of Renaissance and Enlightenment. No wonder, however, the Idea of Superiority was also known in the Roman Empire and all other Empires worldwide. I think that the real challenge is to balance national and international interest, establish high standards of responsibility and accountability for the policies and decisions to be made by ruling governments both in the domestic and foreign affairs, and, most importantly, to teach the people critical thinking, cooperation, dialogue and mutual respect. It looks like people should become more proactive and thoughtful. Once again, thank you for your story.🤝🌷🌞

[@williamniggle7382]

Fernand Braudel the historian said: “The present can partly be understood by reference to the immediate past.” In order to do so, it’s indispensable to have the capability of identifying the major problems in world today. In other words, it means distinguishing the essential from the peripheral. The most essential geopolitical reality now is the rise of China and the decline of America. Despite 800 US military bases overseas, it’s more likely to be the weakness of overstretch than the exposition of strength. Competition, containment, curse, crisis, conflict, combat, ‘collective deterrence’: None of them seems to stop the advances of China, which is not just another big player in the world but the biggest player ever in the human history predicted by Lee Kuan Yew long time ago. After the collapse of the USSR in 1992, America at first indulged in ‘The End of History’, then launched 20 years’ war on elusive terrorism, invading Iraq and Afghanistan recklessly, not to mention GFC in 2007. Braudel was able to foresee the inevitable rise of China in 1963, because he had recognised the strength of Chinese civilisation. “Civilisations are extraordinary creatures, whose longevity passes all understanding. Fabulously ancient, they live on in each of us and they will still live on after we have passed away.” (A History of Civilisations)

[@jacquelineperet6599]

💯✅️

[@robertcox14]

I have to remark that "The China Miracle" of huge financial growth was "FUNDED" by Western Corporations attacking Western Labor as too expensive and NOT entitled to the "easy living" that unionized workers were getting. BOTH economists Jeffrey Sachs and Michael Hudson Benefited massively $$$$ doing "work" in China. Also needed were lawyers and accountants to handle the explosive growth "spurt" totally financed by?????????....Walmart, Amazon, Costco and Apple!!!!! These CEOs should show us the books, so to speak, on where money came from and where it went, like the CFO at Waiwei being arrested in Canada, but allowed to dwell in one of her two mansions in Vancouver. Poor communists, eh? A One Party Communist State can "shelter" elites just like a Demostscary.....

[@marcelleratafia2360]

He is brave to stand his ground as an "oriental" professor in the USA in this climate

[@user-rf6mv3te7e]

Thank you for making this program. Professor Dabashi is a knowledgeable and civilised man and your questions to him were very good.

[@user-nh8zt9wl3c]

Dr. Dabashi, Hamvatan Aziz, we are Iranian forever. Long live Iran 🇮🇷

[@delir.6488]

Here. I am from 1952. From Mexico 🇲🇽 and I ended up graduating 🧑‍🎓 from a USA university in California 😮😮😮

[@pinkifloyd7867]

If your nick name is Jet let me know 😇

[@benjaminmitchell5345]

I love this man. His realization that his younger self was spot on is brilliant

[@swamivardana9911]

His younger self was a total idiot. They paved the way to Iranian fascist terror.

[@azzaelgazzar4947]

I am so grateful to this podcast. The words of Prof Hamid Dabashi gave me the feeling of a homeland. It was so profoundly human and opening to a better future. What an integer person who is so cautious about observing the picture through his live and leading us so smoothly understanding our lives ( hidden dialectic 😊)

[@stephenhardy312]

A scholarly contribution from you both.Well done!

[@moonmaidrainbow]

Illuminating and inspiring dialogue! Thank you!

[@christinebiancarelli126]

As usual, a great interview. Thanks

[@pacoshuman7642]

Thank you...I listened to the entire discussion...very informative.

This interview waking up every part of my memory for these days . Thank you to bring such quality scholars to your show

[@StateOfPurgatory]

Amazing interview I am Iranian Armenian and I had very closed experiences

[@Cui-bono987]

I love Iranians. I really hope to visit Iran one day.

[@silviaines1000]

Fantastic!! Listening to Professor Hamid is a luxury. Thank you !

[@ajdakam]

I am learning a lot about the history of Iran and the people there. Txs for the great conversation.

[@malenedietl3369]

Thank you both of you for this very deep talk. Loved every minute of it. "😊White is not a colour, it's an ideology" I love that. I'm very fair, nordic fair, but I don't have an ounce or even 10 milligrams of white supremacist ideas in me. I hate it, it's laughable to me, allways was.

[@BigAngelEyes]

Yes you do Comrade, you're using a Zionist platform right now that upholds Capitalism & you're exercising Free Speech that other countries don't allow 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@merbst]

"when he ran out of vodka & cigarettes, he became a socialist!" I'm a socialist for the exact same reason!

[@larafields3106]

Valid path, Comrade.

[@luciakroiter6426]

And with Louis XIII and Cohiba you are an oligarch?

[@ijkventure]

This is exactly what I have been warning everyone about ... "the fall of empires"

[@catherinemorrow6596]

Hamid is so warm and humorously intelligent. But I would like to add a very good female Iranian poet : Forugh Farrokhzad (1934 - 1967)

[@lenorefoxmoor9985]

⚘Thanks for poet share🐦

[@elsonck2523]

The crux of all the suffering in Gaza which extends to all political suppression denying rights to brown people all over the world is of course... white supremacy. "When can we expect it to die" was the final question at the end. Thanks for this much needed discussion.

[@MarkMcAllister-ni9sf]

white supremacy? what a lie! the only people denying rights to brown people, is other brown people...grow up

[@maryrose4712]

And yet you so called "brown" people still flock to Western countries in droves, now why is that? Please elaborate.

[@jjcalvillo]

When you look at what the so-called “greatest generation” did you think they should be called anything but that. The Dulles bros, Kissenger, J. Edgar, Nixon, Liddy, Howard Hunt, et al created hell for much of the world, picking up where the Brits left off. If the founders could see it, they’d have been appalled.

[@elsonck2523]

Don't forget the founders were slave owners and the crux of the matter now being interred in the rubble of Gaza is "white supremacy".

[@wankertanker1813]

I don't know. They liked slavery and manifest destiny. Some conceived of "an empire of liberty" and started continental empire over the applachian mountains. We can be greatful for any sort of effort towards democratizing society; taking it back from oligarchies of any sort, for sure. Also, even they did not struggle for a few representatives on the board of corporation. They hated corporations as much as the king, who chartered them to do brutal wealth extraction in the name of the crown.

[@jacquelineperet6599]

💯✅️

[@akeleven]

Greatest generation is only applied to those who fought in World War II.

[@kathycollett4318]

Wow! So glad I listened! What a fabulous man!

[@user-cc9dr2ph5c]

Palestine is an area of ​​more than 27 thousand square kilometers and is on the borders of Egypt and Jordan, which historically is part of Palestine and the people of Jordan, more than 70 percent of whom are of Palestinian origin, but Britain made them a state and brought agents to the Jordanian ruling dynasty in order to rule Jordan and protect the occupation from the Jordanian-Palestinian people Palestine Its capital, Jerusalem, is the land of the Palestinian people for tens of thousands of years. It is the cradle of Christianity and Judaism, and it is the third holiest place for us Muslims. It is a land where most of God’s prophets lived, were born, and died. It is the holy and blessed land and the land of the Palestinian and Arab people. Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived there for thousands of years as neighbors and brothers before the Zionists occupied our land. Britain brought them in the Balfour Declaration to occupy our land. Those who committed the Holocaust against the Jews were the Germans and the West, not me.❤

[@bigkanuna]

Why do most Arabs hate Palestinians. Google, Saudi man saying what they think of Palestine.

[@jacquelineperet6599]

💯✅️💯✅️

[@taisirghazi2963]

Bless you 😊 from the river to the sea Palestine will be free InshaAllah

[@swamivardana9911]

You lie. According to Islamic theology Mecca is the place of all old prophets, Including Moses, Adam.

[@luisinharamos]

Lovely conversarion. 😊

[@stuarthdoblin]

Hamid Dabashi is a world-class treasure. His personal identity is impossible for me to grasp due to his monumental integration of so much experience I know nothing about. Truly a pleasure listening. Bravo to the interviewee.

[@user-ne5sd6hz7q]

Thank you. This was an excellent interview. So informative; thank you, Hamid, for your perspectives. ❤

[@uschischueller4643]

Thank you soo much for this talk. It does gives me some hope.

[@yogikarl]

Isn't it funny that we have two Jewish prime ministers : one on the receiving end : and one at the delivering end - and both are paid by the Pentagon ?

[@noricd]

In your post, please replace Jewish with Zionist.

[@janelambe5234]

Ive learned a lot and this discussion covered so much yet tied movements together. Will share and listen again . Thank you both

[@alphaomega154]

what should replace the US empire is the indigenous nation. at least nation that is conceived by the locals. and the recent couple of hundreds of years occupants must REGISTER to the locals. i will assist for that. cant wait to aim at google. when its time.

[@hazelwray4184]

The nation, as conceived by indigenous locals, should supercede the US empire? Can't wait to aim at Google?

[@BigAngelEyes]

The indigenous are enjoying Capitalism, leave us alone. My ancestors and I are sick of you Communists trying to co-opt our tribe. We flourished spectacularly.

[@alphaomega154]

@@BigAngelEyes says white women with a blonde hair. you look so white for an indigenous. why do U.S europeans also love to lie? you invaded other people's land, and unashamedly lie about your "ancestry". you have a tribe? NAME IT. lets hear the BS.

[@alphaomega154]

@@BigAngelEyes you want to see AMERICANS FLOURISH SPECTACULARLY? YOU LOOK AT SOUTH AMERICA. those are full of AMERICANS. you ARE NOT.

[@alphaomega154]

@@BigAngelEyes you GENOCIDE them in the past.

[@mussaratahmad5649]

Kashmiri also have Um Kalsum ,Persian was taught in schools but after Partition I it was removed by India,my grandfather did masters in Persian from Calcutta university and played sitar of Persian songs .

[@UlfaSolehah824]

Fantastic interview with the great academician Dr. Hamid Dabashi. Both the interviewee and the interviewer did a great job. I am learning a lot about the history of Iran.

[@zekyday8064]

An excellent opportunity for researchers of Iran, THE LAND OF CYRUS THE GREAT. Thanks for the chance to listen to your guest. Those who forget the past are condemned to...

[@PatJones-jz9rs]

Just as Judaism is being liberated from Zionism, so, too, must the human community be liberated from the Abrahamic religions...❤

[@brianm592]

Though provoking interview to say thr least. This interview leads me to other scholars that were mentioned in the interview.

[@waleedbrisam3470]

I am very delighted to listen to this very, very interesting interview by first-class intellectual Dr Dabbashi with this transitional political time line which still branding our world . Excellent work .

[@proletaryplanetary]

В России до сих пор Маяковского очень любят. Пойти что ли и перечитать что-нибудь... Всем нужных горящих звёзд и нужных краснокожих книжек.

[@LadyBug1967]

Actually, regarding Americans and their understanding of different foods, I beg to differ with this man because he's speaking from Philadelphia; about Philadelphia; but I live on the West coast and I knew about feta and pita due to the cultural revolution of the 60s not foreigners in exile. And I always knew about pomegranates, which is really what Eve took a bite into and not the Apple which did not even exist in that region of the world. This I knew!! 😁😁lol In addition, I was in Greece in 1970 and I ate a lot of feta cheese and what they call Greek yogurt which only entered into America in a very expensive form later and not in the form of goat milk which was used in Greece. Actually, I also was around a lot of foreigners cuz I lived in the international house but I knew nothing from them because I already knew about other cuisines because that was part of the 60s cultural revolution which I will grant you probably wasn't really happening at that time in Philadelphia but it was occurring on the West coast, specifically in San Francisco, & even more specifically, Berkeley . What transplants-- a word I'll use for this professor of Iranian birth--do NOT understand is --America is a vast country with a much bigger population than Iran and lacking in the homogeneity of his country of birth in terms of culture , and I'm referring to the quote unquote --white people of European ancestry. Leave San Francisco, go to Texas, you're in another world. Go to Louisiana, you're in another world. Go to Maine, u r in another world etc etc etc. Travellers have said that there is more similarity and cultural homogeneity when they've crossed all of Indonesia as compared to crossing America. In each state, you have to adjust your manner of speech; the speed of your discourse; and the subject of your discourse or you stand out like a sore thumb and not be received well. AND I'm talking about quote-unquote white Americans. Although he said it was an easier question to answer than the other question, I think he is wrong due to the fact that his answer is incorrect. America has more restaurants with food from all places around the world such that when Americans leave the US as expats, what they say is they miss Mexican food (real Mexican not the Taco Bell) or Thai food etc Sure the exodus to America of peoples from many nations has intensified this, but it arose early on because people wanted it and the creators of these original restaurants knew it and that is the American way : build it and the people will come. I went to a Japanese restaurant hoping to get The real McCoy and instead everyone working there was Mexican and they'd been trained so they could do the preparation in the very intricate way that the Japanese did -- preparing it at your table with very deft, fast hand movements. Yet they were Mexican , definitely not Japanese and probably not even American, ie undocumented, and so for me a lot of the magic disappeared. The Cambodians came to the East Bay of San Francisco and they established a monopoly on donut shops-- NOT because they have donuts in their country as these a.were donuts that were absolutely American, full of sugar and other bad things for your body-- but because they knew they could make a lot of money with very little input of money and that is the American way unfortunately. Yes, as time went by and foreigners came to America and saw there were restaurants selling their cultures food that Americans loved, they started copying them. WHY not? THAT'S the American way-- make the buck. I met an Italian young man in Austin Texas and he was trying to get a job at an Italian restaurant and they told him they only hired Mexicans and NO, they would not sponsor him for a green card, rather he would have to work illegally just as all their Mexicans did. That too is the American way unfortunately. So I think the professor should stick to his studies & not venture into matters of cuisine. I appreciate his knowledge on many subjects tho I'm glad you corrected him regarding Edward Said and his use of the term EXILE which was informed by Edward being a Palestinian with no homeland.

[@sadeqezzat2068]

I was in Iran in 1977 - 1978 on a fellowship program. I have been studying the root causes of Muslim countries since then . The biggest problem we Muslims have is the failure to understand the concept of true Islamic principles based on Quran and Sunnah and design a constitution accordingly, to guarantee the individual rights and freedoms according to the prophetic model. The Islamic Republic of Iran is based on the philosophy of imamism, which is fundamentally is a monopoly hierarchy.

[@alenezi989a3]

It's not that we failed to understand our teachings, it's that we are ruled by traitors and idiots, who care only about their thrones. They don't cooperate they betray each other on the behest of the west, they destroy their own countries and alienate their own people for the west. They are traitors to their own people, countries and faith, and they are idiots because their betrayals doesn't benefit them at all, and only keeps them leashed to the west like trained pets.

[@taranehahmadi-parker1412]

Excellent interview, I am from Iran 🇮🇷 and remember buying books outside the university and educate myself.

[@BNFaraj-vy9zh]

It would be interesting to hear why Professor Dabashi doesn't think the student movement on US campuses would face the same fate as the Arab Spring!

[@LACYJEN1999]

68yo Latina in NYC Never Biden or Trump. Little hope. Certain that all will not end well

[@rebeccawoolfolk5377]

I hope you're wrong but fear you're right. We're at a crossroad here. I hope we end up on the right path.

[@tobiassugar8251]

so great

[@AlwaysSeekPeace]

Thanks!

[@taranehahmadi-parker1412]

Thanks

[@kencoutts2051]

Great interview. Regards 🐼🐼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@masoodamirkhani3932]

MEE, thank you for inviting such a brilliant, knowledgeable scholar Professor DR Habashi. I’m so delighted to find him and will follow him. Since I’m interested to hear his opinion on Iranian situation.👏🙏✌️

[@AzzekaTheRealOne]

Justice Season for Humanity

[@StateOfPurgatory]

Loved it

[@hansmolders1066]

The kids right now, your students following their moral compass are being threatened with never getting employed for the rest of their lives! That must be a very hard decision to make ! Please let them know that you would employ them.

[@sbludba]

‪The decline of the American Empire is being accelerated at a tremendous rate. It reflects, the inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. Prosperity ripens the principle of decay.‬ ‪The causes of destruction multiplies by the extent of conquest.‬ ‪As soon as time or accident removes the artificial support‬ ‪This stupendous fabric will yield to the pressure of its own weight.‬

[@yogikarl]

There are 7,654 320 Israelis . and there are 7,654 321 Palestinians in that place

[@afsanehb.4224]

I enjoyed the entire talk of Hamid Dabashi and agree with every single thing he said. Thank you!

[@sunshinewellness3222]

Smoking good weed and listening ...i feel like im in class ❤

[@yogikarl]

Let us help them Israelis to display nicely and clearly their apartheid system

[@Nobody-zv5lp]

🤣

[@MarkMcAllister-ni9sf]

Why the constant lies, Israel has a large population of Muslims, Muslims have no Jews. Truth and logic say, that in reality, the apartheid is on the other side. Jesus, the mental gymnastics to ignore facts is breath taking.

[@juzarzari]

Rightful analysis

[@joylarson9040]

Ice Caps are NOT melting! I was there!

[@marycooper8385]

See what this interview brings to the table

[@faramakzahraie7967]

Professor Dabashi is inconsistent, when it comes to the revolution in iran. He spent only six months in revolutionary iran and knows neither Islam nor the forces at play. What he thinks were the "fascistic" forces of Islam were actually bourgeois democrats and mixed with agents of imperialism. He thinks to have been enlightened in the West, but they teach the same crap there in Iran now and it is a source not of revolution but counter-revolution. The Shah times are over and unfortunately Dabashi has experienced the revolution through the prism of Western Academia. His paranoia of going back is not real, but Western induced. I hope he discovers the 1980's he is still trying to figure out. The Islamic Republic is not linking itself to the Liberation movements to survive, as if it is so unstable, but that those movements are continuity of the Islamic Revolution. There is a heck of a lot that Mr. Dabashi needs to figure out that is beyond the scope of his Western education. I certainly hope he can still learn and grow. And, overcome his phobia of Iran and the Islamic Revolution. It is grand... the current student movement in America cannot be understood without it. And, the Islamic Revolution is still the vanguard.... and it has evolved greatly, which should not be measured by his Western education. Good luck.

[@NiMz849]

Profound take into the gaps of Dehbashi’s argument on IRI. People yet need to set aside their emotions about the Islamic Revolution and look into its formation and evolution in a meticulous and systematic manner.

[@hamidhamidi3134]

The problem with leftists is that they either don't know Islam or usually pave the way for the Talibans of the region by flaming the anti Western sentiments.

[@John-ez4wj]

Professor Dabashi mentions the dilemma of universities "at the epicenter" having the responsibility to prepare students for future jobs and careers. Perhaps this is an outdated issue. Right now, the past of university curricula has become fantasy, historical curiosity. What career do you think you can prepare students for that will fulfill them in the future you imagine?

[@akram.ibrahim]

Great video

[@kurukafadeser4910]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤MAY GOD INVITE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO ISLAM

[@user-yo2nq7to3h]

excellent

[@osmanyussuf7069]

Brilliant,it matters to shine the truth,

[@oh_aces]

God Damn! This man is sitting there talking to me about ME!

[@rafthejaf8789]

Good talk except for a couple of things. Unfortunately Nehru is not a good anti colonialist role model. This is mainly because of his privileged and entitled background which separated him from the struggles of ordinary Indians. He had a Bentley and a chauffeur at Cambridge and I I'm sure felt closer in many ways to the British rather than Indians. This is epitomed by his close friendship with the Mountbattens including having sexual relationship with Mrs Mountbatten which would be unthinkable for a genuine anti colonialist leader. He was even invited to spend a summer vacation with them in the British Hill Station of Simla where he was shown the British plans for the partition of India unlike the Muslim leader Jinnah who was kept in dark during that time. It was shameful and dishonourable that he participated in such political and moral corruption. It behoves Hamid to know such things. We should also remember the Sharpville massacre of 1960 in South Africa and the anti colonial struggles in other parts of Africa at that time. Apart that a great conversation! 👍🇵🇸

[@akeleven]

Paraphrase: the more vicious the reaction, the more the student uprisings are validated. When people in power fear you, you're on the right track. As someone who protested the Vietnam War, I am distressed that people of my generation are using the same ignorant tools of repression against these students. I wish I could be here in 60 years, to see if they will be successful at change or if they will be just as disappointed in their generation is I am in mine.

[@jamesjones9250]

Great conversation, very eye opening 👏

[@SikanderG]

The way he acknowledges Pakistan is so refreshing to me, a Pakistani.

[@SikanderG]

I am also a philosopher and I agree with his reflections on Western philosophy's racist core completely.

[@eleanordoran4576]

Bravo! 21st century Enlightenment.

[@MarkMcAllister-ni9sf]

its religion

[@jacquelinearmstrong8819]

Excellent interview. Very informative.

[@gustavoa.belfiore4701]

Incredible interview, thanks MEE

[@StateOfPurgatory]

I agree

[@blackdiamond306]

When you have lived what you speak there is no error. 🌄🦍☮️

[@LACYJEN1999]

I fear that the world is intensily involved in chattering, narrating, and analyzing genocidal while the blood of Palestinians ....

[@kyriakosronides9668]

thanks prof

[@alistairbest3622]

In America we still refer to immigrants as "Aliens", as if came from another planet.

[@elfmillo5458]

white isn't a colour is an ideology .... (I like that!) .... listen to 'Don't call me white' by NOFX ....

[@cakeandwine6933]

Its totally true too cuz if you look at the white on white hate always has to do with classism. White is the terrible ideology of superiority

[@bigkanuna]

Africa was Christian once; Muslims killed 60 Million plus Hindus and enslaved millions of Europeans. Islam has the house of peace and the house of war. Stop waging war around the world.

[@lupemerrit]

I read about this couple. The democratically overthrown because he was going to nationalize oil and British Petroleum and the British with help of the USA were instrumental in this act. They reinstalled the Shah regime.

[@AW-ji7no]

“Incurable racism” 💯

[@naglaelattar1345]

I like much Middle East Eye it us a good video I enjoyed it

[@patbyrneme007]

Great interview but seriously let down by the title of the programme. It is dishonest to falsely title a video like this. Middle East Eye has lost some of its credibility with this clickbait practice. It puts me off watching future videos.

[@TheZenGarden_]

2 Esdras 6 9 For Esau (Dan.2:39-44) is the end of the world, and Ya'aqov (Devarim​ 28:15-68) is the beginning of it that followeth. ~ Bereshit​ 15:12-14

[@abrahamphilip6439]

Surely not a sucession of hegamony , but a Multi Polar world with Gold/Wealth Standard instead of the $$/ Currency standard,

[@genahha1761]

What will happen to Israel if we all stop selling weapons to them?

[@arefcee8291]

Prof dabaashi❤

[@bazlur-R]

Mayakovsky(Maikovsky) is not easy to read even for common russian. he was also killed by the Bolsheviks probably but was a womanizer, some said that he was suffering with VD.....

[@Bungaroosh]

A-N-A-R-C-H-Y ! ! !