What's Old is News

Sean Graham is joined by Catherine Larochelle, author of School of Racism: A Canadian History, 1830-1915 , which is also available in French . Recorded live in Montreal, they discuss Catherine's study of educational materials, the challenge of studying the history of schools, and the importance of exploring the history of both French and English language materials. They also chat about how colonia...

Sean Graham is joined by Patrick Bixby, author of License to Travel: A Cultural History of the Passport . They talk about the origins of the modern passport, the reaction to its introduction, and how artists and writers responded. They also chat about the role of the nation state in immigration, the relative value of nations' passports, and what the document tells us about its holder. Historical H...

Sean Graham is joined by Raymond Blake, author of Canada's Prime Ministers and the Shaping of National Identity . They discuss the role of the Prime Minister, how mass media changed the office, and the ways in which Prime Ministers have influenced national identity. They also chat about how international affairs shape domestic discussions, how the length of a government shapes public perceptions,...

Sean Graham welcomes Adam Zientek, author of A Thirst for Wine and War: The Intoxication of French Soldiers on the Western Front . They chat about how wine became a staple of French rations in the First World War, the perceived benefits of wine, and how it was transported to the front lines in such large quantities. They also discuss perception of liquor compared to wine, the role of alcohol in Fr...

Sean Graham talks with Jennifer VanderBurgh, author of What Television Remembers: Artifacts and Footprints of TV in Toronto . They discuss the challenge of studying Canadian television, how to find old programs, and why television researches often rely on the public. They also talk about Toronto as a television Canada's television production centre, how the city stands in for other locations, and...

Sean Graham is joined by Michelle J. Manno, author of Denied: Women, Sports, and the Contradiction of Identity . They talk about Michelle's personal experience with collegiate basketball, how personal identity mixed with team identity in sports, and how players navigate contested spaces. They also discuss how coaches police players' identities, the role of Title IX, and how players assert agency w...

We're back with Season 2 of What's Old is News and to kick it off, Sean Graham is joined by Andy Lamey, author of The Canadian Mind: Essays on Writers or Thinkers . They talk about Canadian literature in the second half of the 20th century, where nationalism fits into the story, and the how literary critics treated Canadian writing. They also chat about questions related to identity, language, and...

Sean Graham talks with Dustin Galer, author of Beryl: The Making of a Disability Activist . They talk about Beryl Potter's entry into activism, how the 1970s public debates influenced her campaigns, and the financial challenges faced by disability activists. They also chat about Beryl Potter's personality and public encounters, her television program, and how many of the challenges she fought agai...

Sean Graham is joined by Kristin Burnett and Travis Hay, authors of Plundering the North: A History of Settler Colonialism, Corporate Welfare, and Food Insecurity . They discuss the geographic parameters of the 'North,' the challenges faced by northern communities, and the origins of food insecurity. They also chat about the colonial structures that have created the problem, how communities are tr...

Sean Graham talks with David MacKenzie, author of King and Chaos: The 1935 Canadian General Election . They talk about the value of studying elections in history, the economic conditions leading into the election, and the fractured political environment at the time. They also discuss the leadership of R.B. Bennett, William Lyon Mackenzie King, J.S. Woodsworth, and William Aberhart, how foreign pol...

Sean Graham talks with Andrea Procter, author of A Long Journey: Residential Schools in Labrador and Newfoundland . They talk about how the residential schooling system there differed from Canada's in the early 20th century, student experiences at the schools, and how communities responded. They also discuss reconciliation in Labrador, why the province wasn't included in the initial national apolo...

In this episode, Sean Graham talks with Angie Wong, author of Laughing Back at Empire: The Grassroots Activism of The Asianadian Magazine, 1978-1985 . They talk about the magazine's origins, its regular features, and how it built community across the country. They also discuss how it was funded, how it fit within the rise of conservatism in the 1980s, and its legacy nearly 40 years after its final...

A landmark work when it was first released a decade ago, David Austin's Fear of a Black Nation is now out in its second edition. In this episode, David stopped by to talk about the second edition, what has been added, and how the societal context has changed. He also discusses what made Montreal such a hotbed of international activism and politics in the 1960s, the legacy of slavery, and how econo...

Since Confederation, Canada has implemented a number of restrictive immigration policies, including on Jewish immigrants during the 1930s. Norm Ravvin, author of Who Gets In: An Immigration Story , joins the show to talk about one story of a Jewish immigrant coming to Canada and challenging those restrictions, We talk about researching what was a hidden story, how prospective immigrants fought aga...

Alex Ketchum , author of Ingredients for Revolution: A History of American Feminist Restaurants, Cafes, and Coffeehouses , joins Sean Graham to talk about the book and how these sites build communities. They chat about what constitutes a "feminist' restaurant, the cultural significance of food, and how the cafes' business imperatives sometimes conflicted with their ideals. They also discuss the ne...

Sean Graham is joined by Ian Kennedy, author of On Account of Darkness: Shining Light on Race and Sport , which explores how athletes from Chatham-Kent in southwestern Ontario fought racial discrimination through sports. They discuss Ian's interest in sports, Chatham-Kent's history as a terminus of the underground railroad, and why sports are a powerful tool for social change. They also talk about...

For over a century, Canadians have maintained a love affair with Hollywood, both as producers and consumers. This week, we look at how that has played out with Mary Graham, author of Stunning Backdrop: Alberta in the Movies, 1917-1960 , and Michael Gates, author of Hollywood in the Klondike: Dawson City's Great Film Find . We discuss the presence of the American film industry in Canada, how films...

In between games at the 2019 Continental Cup, Brian Chick stopped by to talk about his book Written in Stone: A Modern History of Curling . We talk about the sport's inclusion in the Olympics in 1998, the professionalization of curling, and it's current place within the sporting landscape. Historical Headline of the Week Tyler Searle, " Thistle Curling Club Closing Shop, Moving in with Deer Lodge...

In the 1930s, Hogan's Alley in Vancouver was home to a vibrant community, which was slowly displaced through the construction of the Dunsmuir and Georgia viaducts. This is the settling for Junie , a historical fiction that explores the complexities of community, race, sexuality, substance abuse, and, most importantly, love. Author Chelene Knight talks about the book, balancing historical accuracy...

Authors Linda Peterat ( From Denmark to the Cariboo: The Epic Journey of the Lindhard Sisters ) and Michael Andruff ( The Russian Refugees: A Family's First Century in Canada ) join Sean to talk about how familial stories can shape our understanding of immigration to Canada. They discuss their respective stories, the push/pull factors that contribute to immigration, and the challenges families fac...

Lauren Beck, author of Canada's Place Names & How to Change Them , joins the show to talk about the debate over changing names. The discussion ranges from how Canada's places got their names, colonial naming practices, and the cultural significance of place names. The conversation also touches on Indigenous naming customs, the politics of renaming, and the overall challenge of naming places af...

Janice Forsyth, author of Reclaiming Tom Longboat: Indigenous Self-Determination in Canadian Sport , talks with Sean about the Tom Longboat Awards and the role of sport in the story of colonization. They discuss Janice's history as a past winner, the importance of sporting role models, and mainstream sports' role in colonial structures. They also chat about how the media tells athletes' stories an...

Catharine Wilson joins Sean to talk about the history of co-operative work bees in rural Canada. Communal events to complete big projects in short amount of time, work bees are representative of rural Canadian culture and are the subject of Catharine's new book Being Neighbours: Cooperative Work and Rural Culture, 1830-1960 . They chat about community in rural areas, how work bees were organized,...

Nathan M. Greenfield, author of Hanged in Medicine Hat: Murder in a Nazi Prisoner-of-War Camp and the Disturbing True Story of Canada's Last Mass Execution , joins Sean Graham to talk about POW camp 132 in Medicine Hat. They talk about how the camp came to be, the prisoners' relationship with the local community, and the internal culture that developed at the site. They also discuss the Nazi influ...

Sean Graham talks with Michael Clemens, author of Screening Nature and Nation: The Environmental Documentaries of the National Film Board, 1939-1974 . They discuss the origins of the NFB, its approach to portraying the environment, and the influence of federal politicians. They also chat about the filmmakers who documented Canadian wildlife, how the films changed over time, and some of the best pi...