Category Archives: Podcast

Bay Area Outing Program – What’s Old is News

By Sean Graham Sean Graham talks with Caitlin Keliiaa, author of Refusing Settler Domesticity: Native Women’s Labour and Resistance in the Bay Area Outing Program. They discuss the residential schooling system in the United States, the goal of outing programs, and Indigenous young women and girls’ domestic labour as part of the program. They also chat about the community built… Read more »

Kosher Meat – What’s Old is News

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By Sean Graham This week I talk with John M. Efron, author of All Consuming: Germans, Jews, and the Meaning of Meat. We discuss the relationship between Jewish culture and meat consumption, the unique relationship between Germans culture and Jewish meat, and how that has been depicted over the years. We also chat about the cultural significance of meat and meat… Read more »

Fort McKay Métis Nation – What’s Old is News

By Sean Graham This week I talk with Peter Fortna, author of The Fort McKay Métis Nation: A Community History. We talk about the origins of the Nation, which is located in northeastern Alberta, the community connections between the Métis and First Nation, and how colonial government structures have influenced community relationships. We also discuss the role of resources and… Read more »

Race & Psychiatry in Slavery’s Wake – What’s Old is News

By Sean Graham This week I talk with Judith Weisenfeld, author of Black Religion in the Madhouse: Race & Psychiatry in Slavery’s Wake. We discuss about the origins of the book, how the antebellum period shaped perceptions of African American religion, and the role of ‘religious excitement’ in insanity diagnoses. We also chat about the connections between race and religion,… Read more »

Free Trade & Cultural Diplomacy – What’s Old is News

https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2025_05_06_22_37_16_425192c6-9b95-415b-bc74-6bb72d0f17b8.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham I’m is joined by Sarah E.K. Smith, author of Trading on Art: Cultural Diplomacy and Free Trade in North America. We talk about Sarah’s interest in cultural diplomacy, what constitutes art in the context of free trade, and how cultural policies shaped artistic and curatorial expression at the end of the… Read more »

1921 Canadian Election – What’s Old is News

https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2025_04_10_15_56_48_9905e30a-3522-4a12-a309-582c107bb527.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham This week, I talk with Barbara Messamore, author of Times of Transformation: The 1921 Canadian General Election about one of Canada’s turning point elections. We discuss the post-war economy’s, including tariffs, role in the campaign, how suffrage influenced the election, and the emergence of William Lyon Mackenzie King on the national… Read more »

Absinthe – What’s Old is News

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https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2025_04_02_16_08_28_f2fbd94a-c940-4d3d-9ea0-ee12ff2e678b.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham This week, I talk with Nina Studer, author of The Hour of Absinthe: A Cultural History of France’s Most Notorious Drink. We talk about the drink’s origins, its cultural importance in France, and its consumption by French soldiers. We also chat about the class distinctions associated with the drink, how gender… Read more »

Serafim ‘Joe’ Fortes – What’s Old is News

https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2025_03_26_03_52_52_64878597-5584-4bd7-95e8-6ae4538fe9b6.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSean Graham talks with Ruby Smith Diaz, author of Searching for Serafim: The Life and Legacy of Serafim ‘Joe’ Fortes. They discuss Ruby’s introduction to Serafim’s story, how she went about researching the book, and some of the challenges she faced in the process. They also chat about how Ruby’s artistic background shaped the book’s structure,… Read more »

Political Party Leaders’ Roles

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https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2025_02_19_04_53_22_ee55139b-5ee2-4d6f-9a5f-ce41b5a0adca.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham Sean Graham is joined by Amanda Bittner, author of Platform or Personality: The Role of Party Leaders in Elections. They talk about how polling data is used, partisan voting patterns, and the role of leaders in swaying voters. They also discuss policies v. personalities, the significance of branding leaders, and the… Read more »

Steamship Empress of Asia – What’s Old is News

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https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2025_02_12_05_21_15_6c08bc31-1640-4470-9646-2cbc1d846f34.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham This week, I’m joined by Dan Black, author of Oceans of Fate: Peace and Peril Aboard the Steamship Empress of Asia. We talk about the ship’s earliest voyage following its 1913 commissioning, its service during the First World War and the Chinese Labour Corps, and its refitting after the war. We… Read more »