Dispersion

Guests : Award-winning filmmaker, interdisciplinary artist, and curator Emily Mkrtichian , and acclaimed filmmaker and director Hasmik Movsisyan . In this episode, our guests reflect on how their connections to Armenia have shifted over time, and how film becomes a way of holding onto and passing down memory. They discuss how storytelling has the power to reach people in ways that feel both person...

Guests : Dance researcher, teacher, and director, Carolyn Rapkievian , and artistic director and choreographer of Sassoun Dance Ensemble, Sevag Avakian . In this episode, our guests reflect on their personal journeys and the evolution of Armenian dance across the diaspora. They explore efforts to preserve traditional forms alongside the emergence of new, diaspora-born dances, and how performance a...

Guests : Chicago-based painter and visual artist Jackie Kazarian , and Armenian-Dutch biodesigner and artist Shushanik Droshakiryan . In this episode, our guests explore how their art emerges from personal curiosities and lived experiences engaging with Armenian narratives, rather than representing a singular collective view. They reflect on how Armenian identity is a continuously reconstructed ph...

Guests : Award-winning international film and stage actress, Arsinee Khanjian and esteemed playwright, director, and stage actor, Hrant Alianak . In this episode, our guests share their journeys as diasporan Armenians from Lebanon and Sudan, respectively, to reflect on how their distinct upbringings shape their Armenian storytelling. They discuss how diaspora challenges traditional notions of Arme...

Season 4 Trailer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of Dispersion , host Jen Haddow speaks with Dr. Rajesh C. Shukla, Associate Professor at Saint Paul University and guest editor of the upcoming Diaspora journal issue, titled Immigrant Diaspora and the Changing Dimensions of Canadian Multiculturalism about reimagining Canadian multiculturalism through the lens of social connections. Reflecting on his own migration journey a...

This special live episode of Dispersion, recorded at the Toronto Reference Library on March 28, 2025, brings together three distinguished voices from the Canadian media industry. Through candid storytelling and thoughtful reflection, each guest offers a personal lens on navigating the media landscape—unpacking how their identities have shaped both the challenges they've faced and the opportunities...

In this episode, guests will explore their relationship with their own identity in relation to their home state. What sets this apart from other episodes, is that their homeland was not, or still hasn’t been, recognized as an independent state. We explore how this fight for independence and recognition has shaped the guests into who they are today, and why they may have a different relationship wi...

This episode explores the push and pull factors of immigration in the lives of our guests as well as the notion of brain drain. Joining us for this episode are Azadeh Dastmalchi and Ifrah Arif.  Dastmalchi is the CEO and Co-Founder of VitalTracer, a medical startup that designs smart wearable medical devices. Arif currently works as a Senior Policy and Program Advisor at Immigration, Refugees...

This episode explores the diverse experiences of motherhood in Canada’s Diaspora communities. It navigates the nuances and realities of immigrant women, their experiences, their journeys in Canada, as well as the vital role that mothers play in shaping identities and culture for the next generation. Joining us for this episode are Dr. Jacqueline Getfield and  Sharon Findlay, both mothers, and...

This episode explores what it looks like to find connections in one's hostland in the cozy confines of a small town. What brings that unmistakable sense of home in such places, and how do these communities and the diasporas within them, make their mark on the towns they’ve adopted? Sharing his experiences with us is Tareq Hadhad, Owner/Founder of Peace by Chocolate and a Syrian Refugee in Small To...

In this episode, Ilaneet and Aida discuss the complexities of navigating their gender and sexual identities in different diasporic spaces. They dive into the challenges of acknowledging gender norms in diverse social spaces while not being prescriptive, the tensions surrounding feminism, and the importance of maintaining boundaries in different settings.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

In this episode, Jean-Paul and Sacha have a candid conversation about their Indigenous identities as they relate to land and place, and the complexities they face in navigating their identities while living in urban spaces. This episode explores tensions between Indigenous ways of knowing and relationships with the land, and the ownership words utilized in Diaspora Studies.  Hosted on Acast....

In this episode Randal and Dilmurat discuss the inseparable nature of their cultural and religious identities, and how histories of persecution based on religion have contributed to a strong sense of peoplehood within their religious diaspora communities. This episode explores fluid and intersecting identities, and cross generational education.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

In this episode, Anu and Anastasia explore how conflicts in the homeland influence community cohesion and mobilization, and cultural preservation in diaspora. They discuss how conflicts in their respective homelands influenced their own career trajectories, and generational differences in how those living in diaspora interact with events taking place in the homeland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

In this episode, Samira and Shayan discuss how food contributes to identity formation and cultural connection, and how they have come to understand food as a political tool. This episode explores community building, multiculturalism, racism, and cultural erasure and assimilation as they relate to food.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A quick teaser of what to expect for season 2! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Greg is joined by his daughter, Talar, to explore how different generations of Canadians identify with both their homeland and hostland. This episode dives into what it means to have different layers of identity and how one's identity may be diluted with more milk, or strengthened by more coffee over generations.   To learn more about the themes presented in this episode...

In this episode, Ravneet and Taiwo explore ways that young Diasporans living in Canada support, help and advocate for their homelands.  To learn more about the themes presented in this episode, refer to these papers from Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies :  Singh, M., & Singh, A. (2014). Diaspora, political action, and identity: A case study of Canada’s Indian diaspora. Di...

In this episode, Lili and Marta have a conversation about passing on their Latin American and Ukrainian heritages to their communities through their work with the Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre Society and the Holodomor Research and Education Consortium. This episode reveals how communities share and preserve culture through informal and formal education, and the creative ways that...

In this episode, Cheng and Athena explore reasons behind migration, and their personal experiences of being “uprooted” from their homeland and “replanted” in Canada. This episode provides an introduction to identities, culture, and hybridity.  To learn more about the themes presented in this episode, refer to these papers from Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies :  Howard, A. (2...

In this episode, João and Regine talk about their experiences of returning back to their homelands of Portugal and Rwanda after living as Diasporan Canadians. This episode explores the subjects of belonging, staying connected, hybrid identities, race, food and culture, and where one feels most at “home”.  To learn more about the themes presented in this episode, refer to these papers from Di...

In this episode award-winning Canadian filmmakers Atom and Deepa explore their roles in sharing their culture and identity through film. They also dive into issues such as representation in film, and discuss the struggle between being an artist and spokesperson for their communities. To learn more about the themes presented in this episode, refer to these papers from Diaspora: A Journal of Transna...

In this episode, we flip the script! The team behind the podcast are in the hot seat. Jen, Jenna, Megan and Ali share their favourite moments from Season 1, and the themes that they would like to see more of in future episodes.  To learn more about the themes presented in this episode, refer to these papers from Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies :  Král, F. (2011). Mappin...

Dispersion the podcast is COMING SOON! We can't wait to share with you the stories, memories, experiences and concepts found in Dispersion's inaugural season. Listen as we talk to guests from all walks of life who share their experiences being part of a diaspora group. By listening to their stories you'll learn more about complex diaspora theories and the similarities and differences that bind the...