On this episode of SEPADPod Simon speaks with Maria Kastrinou, Lecturer in (Social) Anthropology at Brunel University. Maria's research focuses on sectarian politics and national belonging, religion, state, conflict and energy in the Middle East and South-Eastern Mediterranean. She is the author of Power, sect and state in Syria: The politics of marriage and identity amongst the Druze (IB Tauris, 2016).On this episode, Simon and Maria talk about activism and politics, the importance of people, Palestinians, Druze, Syria, statelessness and much more.