Rojava Today: Reflections on Existential Moments in an Enduring Movement

In this episode, we’re joined by Isabella, an internationalist who has been involved in multiple institutions of the Rojavan Revolution and is currently on the ground in Syria. Together, we trace her personal journey into the revolution and explore the political, social, and feminist structures that have sustained Rojava through years of war, pressure, and transformation.We discuss the foundations of the Rojavan Revolution and DAANES, the role of Mala Jin, Jinwar, and Jineology, and the development of Kongra Star as the vanguard of the women’s revolution. Isabella shares insights into how revolutionary structures endure, how patriarchal attitudes are challenged in practice, and what strategies have proven effective over time.The conversation also turns to the present moment: the media ecosystem in Rojava, the role of democratic confederalism, current conditions on the ground, and the evolving political landscape involving the Syrian Transitional Government, DAANES, and the SDF. We close with reflections on lessons from the Kurdish Freedom Movement and where listeners can go to stay informed.02:59 — Who Is Isabella04:04 — What Was Isabella’s Youth Like04:54 — What Is the Rojavan Revolution & DAANES10:25 — Mala Jin Introduced11:35 — Jinwar Introduced14:38 — Introduction to Jineology19:53 — Jineology as Structure & Publication23:24 — Kongra Star as the Vanguard of the Women’s Revolution27:11 — How Kongra Star Started27:22 — What Structures Have Helped the Revolution Survive / How Do You Get Men to Listen?31:54 — Strategies for Shifting Patriarchal Attitudes35:05 — The Media Ecosystem in Rojava38:00 — How Independent Media Is Being Received40:32 — Democratic Confederalism in the Region48:22 — Current Conditions in Rojava55:56 — The Syrian Transitional Government & Its Relation to Syria and Kurdistan60:00 — DAANES / SDF Narratives & Conditions Under the Assad Regime01:03:09 — Response to STG Decree on Kurdish Rights & Political Demands of DAANES/SDF01:04:23 — Final Reflections & Lessons from the Kurdish Freedom Movement01:07:00 — Where to Stay InformedThe Women’s War (iHeartRadio)https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-womens-war-59464911/(Includes reporting on Jinwar and the women’s revolution in Rojava)Kongra Star (Women’s Movement)https://kongra-star.org/eng/homepage/Mala Jin (Women’s Houses)https://kongra-star.org/eng/mala-jin/Jinwar – Women’s Villagehttps://mesopotamia.coop/coops/jinwar/ https://jinwar.net/Kurdish Red Crescent (Heyva Sor a Kurd)https://heyvasor.com/en/Rojava Information Centerhttps://rojavainformationcenter.org/Revolution in Rojava: Democratic Autonomy and Women’s Liberationhttps://www.plutobooks.com/product/revolution-in-rojava/Rojava: Revolution, War and the Future of Syria’s Kurdshttps://pmpress.org.uk/product/rojava-revolution-war-and-the-future-of-syrias-kurds/Rojava in Focus (AK Press)https://www.akpress.org/rojava-in-focus.htmlSyrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – Twitter/Xhttps://twitter.com/SDF_SyriaStay connected with The Dugout! Follow us for updates, exclusive content, and more:🔗OUR WEBSITE: https://www.thedugoutpodcast.com/🔗 ⁠Instagram⁠: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/dugoutpodcast/⁠🔗 ⁠Substack⁠: ⁠https://tdugout.substack.com/⁠ 🔗⁠YouTube⁠: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thedugoutpod⁠🔗 ⁠Patreon⁠: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheDugoutPod⁠🔗 ⁠OUR LINKS⁠: ⁠https://bio.site/thedugoutpodcast⁠🔗 Watch Prince Shakur  on Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMMgrSHWLLU4U_FnJ1u10UgChaptersResources & Further ReadingPodcastsOrganizations & ProjectsMedia & InformationBooks Social / Updates