Podcast or Perish

What difference does it make whether you say “I” or “you”? In this episode of Podcast or Perish, I speak with Grant Packard, Associate Professor of Marketing at the Schulich School of Business. He talks about his research on the way saying “I” or “you” when talking to customers changes how they feel about the interaction. Do they feel acknowledged and heard, or did you make it all about you? Do th...

‍ ‍ What does it mean to be a critical scholar in an academy obsessed with metrics? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Erin Twyford , Senior Lecture in Accounting at the University of Wollongong. She describes her experience of a recent academic conference as a "fever dream." She sees her academic role as profoundly relational - to her family, to her colleagues, to her students...

Who should get the next MRI scan? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Adam Diamant of the Schulich School of Business, York University, who studies waiting lists using complex models and artificial intelligence. We discuss the ethics of waiting lists for scarce resources, such as MRI scans and life-saving surgeries. Adam says we can improve on the “first come, first served” mode...

How can we make our money last as long as we do? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Moshe Milevsky of the Schulich School of Business, York University, a leading expert on pensions and financial planning. We discuss “longevity risk,” which is all about what happens if you outlive your retirement savings. We look at the origins of pensions in the Church of Scotland, the psycho...

What drives people to start businesses that matter? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Eileen Fischer , the Anne & Max Tanenbaum Chair in Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise at the Schulich School of Business, York University. She studies the cultural and emotional dimensions of entrepreneurship, exploring how meaning and identity motivate business creation beyond prof...

How do brands shape who we think we are? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk once again with Dr. Ela Veresiu , Associate Professor of Marketing at the Schulich School of Business, York University. Her research in consumer culture theory examines how markets reproduce social inequality through everyday consumption. We discuss gender, class, and the hidden power of marketing in defining ci...

What makes one product seem more authentic than another? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Maxim Voronov , Professor of Sustainability and Organization Studies at the Schulich School of Business, York University. Drawing on his paper “Distilling Authenticity: Materiality and Narratives in Canadian Distilleries’ Authenticity Work,” we discuss how industries craft credibility...

Do the beliefs of people who live near a company’s head office affect the company’s actions on climate change? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Giri Kanagaretnam , Ron Binns Chair in Financial Reporting, Banking, and Governance at the Schulich School of Business, York University. We explore his work on whether local beliefs about climate change are related to corporate tax...

Can climate change reshape how banks see risk? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Olaf Weber , CIBC Chair in Sustainable Finance at the Schulich School of Business, York University. His research connects environmental risk to financial stability. We discuss how credit ratings, lending policies, and investor decisions are being transformed by the realities of a warming planet—...

How can business help rebuild relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Irene Henriques , of the Schulich School of Business, York University. A sustainability economist, her collaborative research examines Indigenous entrepreneurship and the economics of reconciliation. We discuss how communities and corporations can co-c...

What makes a workplace truly inclusive—and not just diverse? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Winny Shen , Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour at York University’s Schulich School of Business. Her research on bad bosses explores the nuances of leadership, mental health, and diversity in organizations. We discuss how identity, empathy, and systemic change can help...

How do pictures and words help children imagine the world anew? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Alison Halsall , Associate Professor of Humanities at York University. She researches children’s literature, comics, and graphic novels, tracing how visual storytelling shapes childhood imagination and social awareness. We explore the artistry of the illustrated page and its power...

Can democracy survive in the age of algorithms? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Susan Dieleman , Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership at the University of Lethbridge. She studies democratic theory and the ethics of online discourse, examining how social media and digital platforms affect deliberation and civic trust. We discuss what philosophers can teach us a...

Can finance ever serve the public good? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Emily Rosenman , Assistant Professor of Geography at Penn State University. Her research investigates how financial systems shape inequality and urban life—from disaster recovery to affordable housing. We explore the politics of financialization and what justice-oriented economies might look like. *** Fu...

How can ancient artifacts rewrite women into history? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Elizabeth Greene , Associate Professor of Classical Studies at Western University. Her archaeological research at Roman military sites uncovers the overlooked roles of women and families on imperial frontiers. We discuss how small finds—sandals, jewelry, writing tablets—reveal the hidden te...

Do our shopping habits reflect our values or do our values reflect our shopping habits? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Markus Giesler , Professor of Marketing at York University’s Schulich School of Business. A cultural sociologist of markets, he studies how moral ideas—like sustainability and fairness—get built into consumer culture. We explore why consumption is a site...

Does gene editing change what it means to be human? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Françoise Baylis , University Research Professor Emerita at Dalhousie University and a leading voice in bioethics. We discuss her work on reproductive technologies and genome editing, the global ethics of CRISPR, and why public engagement must shape how science rewrites the human future. **...

What can the mud at the bottom of an Arctic lake tell us about the planet’s future? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Josh Thienpont , a paleolimnologist from York University’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. By analyzing ancient sediments, he reconstructs the history of northern freshwater ecosystems to trace the accelerating impacts of climate change. We discuss f...

Who gets to feel at home online? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Alison Harvey , Associate Professor of Communications at York University. Her research examines gender, race, and labor in digital gaming and online communities. We discuss how inclusion efforts sometimes reproduce exclusion, and how critical media scholarship can make digital spaces more equitable. *** Full tr...

Can beams of light save sight? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Ozzy Mermut of York University’s Centre for Vision Research. Her pioneering work in biophotonics uses lasers and optical imaging to study and treat age-related eye diseases. We explore how light reveals the structure of the retina, how multidisciplinary science drives discovery, and why she calls the eye “the win...

Who bears the cost of Canada’s green transition? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Dayna Scott , Canada Research Chair in Environmental Law and Justice at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School. She examines how Canada’s push for critical minerals and renewable energy development intersects with Indigenous rights and environmental governance. We discuss what a just transi...

How has feminist theory transformed our understanding of motherhood? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Andrea O’Reilly of York University. She studies motherhood. We explore how decades of feminist scholarship have challenged cultural myths about mothers, caregiving, and equality—and how storytelling itself becomes a form of resistance. *** Full transcript, photos, and relat...

How did teachers balance care, conviction, and exhaustion during the pandemic? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Sarah Barrett , Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education, York University. We discuss her research on how educators’ personal beliefs and values shaped their response to online learning, and how empathy and integrity guided classrooms through crisis. *** Full...

Can a camera capture the soul of a dancer? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Dr. Patrick Alcedo , Chair of Dance at York University and an award-winning documentary filmmaker. Drawing on his fieldwork in the Philippines, he shows how movement, ritual, and film come together to tell stories of faith, resilience, and community—and how scholarship itself can move between art and advo...

How do everyday products make their way to store shelves—and what happens when that journey breaks down? In this episode of Podcast or Perish , I talk with Prof. Johnny Rungtusanatham , Canada Research Chair in Supply Chain Management at York University. We discuss how climate disasters, pandemics, and policy decisions ripple through supply networks, what the B.C. floods reveal about Canada’s econ...