Islam, Iran, and The West w/ Alex DeVitry

In this episode Clay is joined by Alex DeVitry. Alex is currently studying international conflict resolution, foreign policy and diplomacy, and the Middle East at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). He also writes excellent articles on the many nuances of political violence in the 21st century on his Substack. Alex is a man with an outstandingly fascinating and unique origin story. He was raised in a fundamentalist sect of Islam, and at the age of 16 moved to Saudi Arabia to study Arabic language and Islamic theology. Tune in to this conversation to find out more about his journey from Arabia to Columbia. If you want to hear Alex's insightful analysis of recent events in Iran, political violence, Islam's place in the West, and much more, then this is the episode for you!Books mentioned in this episode:Understanding Salafism: Seeking the Path of the Pious Predecessors - Yasir QadhiWhy Intelligence Fails: Lessons from the Iranian Revolution and the Iraq War - Robert JervisOn Violence - Hannah Arendt Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism - Benedict Anderson The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values - Sam HarrisThe WEIRDest People in the World- Joseph HenrichOther things mentioned: War on the Rocks - podcastRepression Works (Just Not in Moderation) - academic article by Yuri M. ZhukovExploring the Quran and the Bible - Professor Gabriel Said Reynolds' YouTube channel Kwame Anthony Appiah - philosopher and writerCosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of StrangersPlease rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Substack, and YouTubeFollow us on Instagram and XOur Book RecommendationsThe War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech – And Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg LukianoffA short, easy read that will arm you with the rhetorical weapons you need to fight against censorship. Psychobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free - Joe NucciA fascinating look at all the mental health BS you see on your social media feeds. Joe does a great job of setting the record straight. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class - Rob HendersonA beautiful, insightful, and heartbreaking memoir that highlights why a stable, loving family is something that every child deserves.Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World - Tom HollandA phenomenal and eye opening account of how Christian philosophy shaped western culture and thinking.Meditations - Marcu AureliusHistory's greatest self help book. Penned by one of Rome's greatest emperors. A must read for anyone interested in Stoicism.The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization - Peter ZeihanThe best explanation of the post-war American lead global order, and how it's falling apart.