Modes of Inquiry with Mathew Giagnorio

This week on the podcast is Dr. Iona Italia, editor-in-chief of Areo magazine. We discuss the role of Areo, the challenges and pressure encountered, calls for censorship, the importance of dialogue and understanding the issues and good argumentation, keeping true to founding principles, the need to hone your skills of articulating ideas, and more!   Thanks, Iona!

This Thursday on the pod  I’m joined by Jonathan Kay, a Quillette editor, and writer. We discuss the challenges and changing the face of journalism, the importance of journalists and journalistic integrity, differences between the online and offline media landscape, and more!   Thanks, Jon!

This Thursday MOI welcomes Dalal Mawad to the pod. We discuss the style and structure of the body politic in Lebanon, how this affects the style of Lebanese journalism, its history and civil war, sectarian politics, society, the Beirut Explosion, and the current state and future of Lebanon. All this and more this Thursday on MOI!   Merci beaucoup, Dalal!

Season 3 welcomes Dr. Vian Aziz on the podcast. We discuss the importance of sexual education and its absence in Arab and Muslim majority countries, the difference between sex and sexuality, the subject of shame and the role religion plays, how this impacts women particularly and shapes society, and the severe effects of male sexual repression on women and society. All this and more on MOI!  

Season 3 officially kicks off this Thursday with returning guest, Phil Gurski. As the first inquiry of the season, we discuss the recent attempted murder of Salman Rushdie and the historic series of events surrounding Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989 calling for Rushdie’s death following the publication of The Satanic Verses. We look at these events and discuss them through th...

In this pre-season special which will also act as S3E1, Daniel Sharp of Areo Magazine and I discuss the recent attack and attempted murder of Salman Rushdie and the importance and value of free speech in a free and open society, the current attempts once again to censor free speech, the voices of dissent within groups and society,  progress and free expression, and the racism of low expectations....

For the season 2 final, I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Anna Sergi, professor of criminology and organized #crime studies at the University of Essex, UK. We discussed Italian organized crime, specifically Ndrangheta and its origin, development and global expansion. How does differ from other Mafia organizations in Italy? What is Ndrangheta's organizational structure? How does it main...

In the first of a two-part episode, I speak with India Donisi, creator and founder of Winespicegirl. We discuss wine and its richer, deep elements. The philosophical,  cultural and mythology (Dionysus) components of this salubrious, seductive and sacred nectar. How it has impacted and been ever-present through recorded history and civilization. We also talk about the sensuality and sexuality that...

For S2E16,  in the first of a two-part episode, I speak with Ahmed Patel. We discuss his early years growing up in the UK, in the 1970s and 1980s, the political and cultural changes that began in the 1990s, and the stark contrast between British Muslim youth then and now, identity, group-oriented and individual. All this and much more! On MOI!   Thanks, Ahmed

For S2E15 I speak with Colin Wright. We discuss transgender issues, what is biological sex? Is gender fluid? The expression of individual human sexuality, the generational divide in perspectives in the transgender community, the question of fairness in sports, and feminine and masculine as aspects each of us has and outwardly express differently in various ways. All this and much more on MOI  Than...

For this episode, I speak with Kaveh Shahrooz. We discuss the Iranian diaspora, Persian culture, and the gangster regime of Iran as separate from and oppressive to the Iranian people. We also human rights violations, the downing of Ukraine Flight PS752 on January 8th, 2021, the Iran lobby, sloppy foreign policy and the religious factor, how to support the Iranian people and what else can Western g...

In episode 13 of season 2,  I speak with Prof. Feiner of Bar-Ilan University, Isreal. We discussed a range of important and not too well known or understand topics pertaining to the European Jewry and Jewish history of the 18th and 19th centuries, what the main focus or concern of Jews during that period, what significant event(s) impacted European Jewry during the 18th century that had positive o...

For S2E12, I speak with William Baldét in the first of a special two-part episode. We discuss the origin and development of the Prevent strategy UK, its focus and community impact, what methods it employs and how have these methods been innovative in CVE work on the local,  national, and regional levels. We also discuss the important insights into radicalization gathered through Prevent's wor...

In this episode, I speak with Terry Newman,  lecturer at McGill University and a contributing writer to Quillette. We discuss eclectic issues from Joe Rogan, policing speech, the importance of meaning in our lives, misunderstandings of politics in Canada, the crisis within journalism, geographical representation/diversity on college and university campuses and government, the distinction between u...

This Thursday I speak with Prof. Massimo Pigliucci. We discuss stoicism and its important role in a person's life, what is stoic philosophy? How do ancient teachings continue to be relevant for us today? What are stoic principles? How do you become a stoic? When is the right age to begin teaching and developing stoicism? Can anyone truly be a stoic? All this a more on  MOI  Thanks, Massimo!

For this Thursday I speak with Razib Khan. We discussed the science of genetics and how an increase in data over the past 20 years has enhanced our understanding of, among other things, the human species. We also delve into the race, whether it's a social construct or a scientific classification? What will be achieved or possibly solved in the decade ahead? The role of population genetics and...

In this episode, I spoke with Jamie Woodhouse of Sentientism. We discussed and fruitfully debated sentience, the difference between vegan and vegetarian, what changes can a person make in their food consumption? Do #ethical food choices/options necessarily correlate with what is healthy? What methods of analysis should be used and understood when determining sentience and making food choices? Diet...

In this episode, I speak with Dan Stanton. We discuss traditional and modern means of counter-intelligence, CSIS mandate and should it be updated, what is foreign intelligence? And how is it collected? What are and what should be considered threats to national security? What should be the focus of CSIS and intelligence agencies as we move forward? And are traditional threats still significant?  Al...

 In this episode, I  speak with Candice Malcolm, founder and editor-in-chief of True North. We discuss  Canadian conservativism and what makes it distinct, the state of conservativism in Canada, its past and future, what the current divides within the Canadian conservative movement are, why Erin O'Toole? And the differences between conservativism on the federal and provincial level and betwee...

In S2E5,  I speak with Jeff Schoep, founder of Beyond Barriers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to a new approach of countering and preventing extremism. From 1994 until early 2019, Jeff was the leader of the largest neo-Nazi organization in the United States, the National Socialist Movement (NSM). Jeff now works as an International Extremism Consultant helping to educate communities...

I speak with Archie Alafriz on terrorism financing, money-laundering, the crime/terror nexus, new frontiers for law enforcement agencies and new opportunities for criminal organizations, domestic in Canada and international law, new and traditional methods for tracking and stopping these activities, the role of the internet for practitioner and perpetrators, public awareness and prevention through...

S2E3:  I speak with Andy Sellwood, moderator for the Heterodox Academy group hxa Canada about the differences and similarities of the challenges faced in academia and society in Canada in comparison to the USA, what is the mission of HXA Canada? What does it mean to be heterodox in thinking and teaching? What legal action and legal rights do teachers and academics have in Canada? What is freedom o...

I speak with Dr. Ashley Frawley of Swansea University on the state of the political Left today and the absence of its former critical style. We also discuss the socialization of medicine, the development of language and culture comprising the wellness/wellbeing and mental health industry, understanding the 'why' of student and youth protests and oppositions today, parents knowing what&ap...

S2E1 begins with Dr. Nicole Barbaro and our discussion on higher education from the perspective of evolutionary psychology, and how to apply and improve the methods of edtech and e-learning,  what barriers exist for students and professors and why genuine improvements in teaching and learning gave what has changed over the decades. Nicole discusses her research and approach to teaching with MOI, w...

S1E14: In the season1 finale I speak with Jake Hanrahan of the grassroots conflict media platform Popular Front. We discuss his approach and methods as an independent journalist, important stories not covered by major media outlets, the importance of maintaining neutrality as a journalist and not pushing an agenda or narrative, social, cultural, and political events taking place in the U.K., U.S.,...