What's Old is News

Sean talks with Jenny Ellison, author of Being Fat: Women, Weight, and Feminist Activism in Canada. They talk about the origins of fat activism, the strategies used by activists, and the tensions with second wave feminism. We also talk about fitness and healthy eating campaigns, the role of fashion, and the entrepreneurship of some activists. Historical Headline of the Week Fat's not Where It's At...

Sean is joined by Jane Griffith, author of Words Have a Past: The English Language, Colonialism, and the Newspapers of Indian Boarding Schools to talk about the significance and legacy of Indian boarding school newspapers. They talk about why schools published newspapers, who the intended audiences were, and the information they did not include. They also discuss the power of language, colonial ef...

For as long as people have been doing history, there have been debates over how to best share the stories of the past. In recent years, this has revolved around discussions over teaching history and ways to better engage people with the history that shapes our daily lives. In this episode, Sean Graham explores these themes with Trilby Kent, author of The Vanishing Past: Making the Case for the Fut...

Fort Smith, NWT is probably not where you would expect to find a suit of samurai armour and sword, but at the local museum that's exactly what you can find. When he first saw it, author Richard Van Camp started to think about all the possibilities of how it got there. The result is A Blanket of Butterflies , which is the first volume of The Spirit of Denendeh. This beautiful new edition, illustrat...

Sean Graham explores the history of substance use disorders and overdose deaths in Canada, which have regularly be presented through a moral lens. By othering those experiencing substance use disorders, policymakers have created an environment where ensuring support is available to users and their families is not a priority. To highlight the importance of approaching this issue with humanity, Sean...

In this episode, Sean is joined by Steve Paikin of TVO's The Agenda to talk about Prime Minister John Turner, whose lengthy career spanned the decriminalization of homosexuality and abortion, stagflation, and free trade. They discuss Turner's career, legacy, and what we can learn about modern politics from studying Canada's 17th Prime Minister. Be sure to check out Steve Paikin's new biography Joh...

Welcome to What's Old is News! Enjoy this brief teaser episode as we get ready for our debut in November