By Sean Graham This week I talk with Peggy Nash, one of the co-authors of Women United: Stories of Women’s Struggles for Equality in the Canadian Auto Workers Union. We discuss women’s contributions to the union in its early years, how negotiating priorities were shaped, and the Second World War’s influence on the labour movement. We also chat about the… Read more »
By Sean Graham This week, I talk with Matthew S. Wiseman, historian of science and medicine in modern Canada. We discuss why militaries engage in scientific research, the civilian benefits of that research, and how scientists navigated their research during the Cold War. We also chat about research consent within a military environment, the challenges of researching the Cold War… Read more »
By Sean Graham As part of our series with the 2025 Shannon Lecture Series, I talk with Sarah Hogenbirk, who will deliver the opening lecture on Monday entitled ‘Fighting for Their Place and Recognition: Canadian Servicewomen and Women Veterans in Post-Second World War Canada. The lecture will serve as a launch for Cold War Workers: Labour, Family, and Community in… Read more »
By Sean Graham We’re back from our summer hiatus with a new season and we’re kicking it off by talking with Craig Baird, the host of Canada History Ehx about his new book Canada’s Main Street: The Epic Story of the Trans-Canada Highway. We talk about his motivation to write about the highway, why the highway doesn’t have the same… Read more »
By Sean Graham This week I talk with Mary Frances Phillips, author of Black Panther Woman: The Political and Spiritual Life of Ericka Huggins. We talk about the process of writing a historical biography of a living person, tracking down new archival sources, and how Ericka Huggins ended up in prison. We also chat about COINTELPRO plots and how Ericka ended… Read more »
By Sean Graham This week I talk with Paul Kahan, author of Philadelphia: A Narrative History. We talk about the city’s origins, its connection to the American Revolution, and how the city’s history is distinct from the national story. We also chat about community, Philadelphia’s political history, and the local culture. Historical Headline of the Week Nancy Steinbach, “Philadelphia: A… Read more »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »