What's Old is News

Jan 28 2025 52 ep. 49 mins 3

What's Old is News Podcast artwork

Exploring how current events are shaped by history. Each week, Sean Graham will be joined by historians, journalists, and experts to discuss some of the biggest questions in history and how the connect to major policy and cultural decisions being made today. There's also our 'Historical Headline of the Week' segment, where we look at how old news continues to resonate.

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Exeter Book Riddles

Jan 28 2025 48 mins

Sean Graham is joined by Jennifer Neville, author of Truth is Trickiest: The Case for Ambiguity in the Exeter Book Riddles. They discuss the background of the riddles, who may have transcribed them and why, as well as the challenge of deciphering their meaning. They also talk about the literary tradition behind the riddles, the various interpretations and arguments surrounding pote

Non-Professional Theatre

Jan 21 2025 51 mins

Sean Graham is joined by Robin C. Whittaker, author of Alumnae Theatre Company: Nonprofessionalizing Theatre in Canada. They discuss the establishment of the Alumnae Theatre Company and its place as Canada's longest-running women-led theatre group, how the group survived its early years, and the place of non-professional theatre in 20th century Canada. They also chat about the econ

Mass Confinement

Jan 14 2025 50 mins

Sean Graham talks with Aidan Forth, author of Camps: A Global History of Mass Confinement. They talk about the definition of camps, the commonalties among camps, and the ubiquity of mass confinement. They also talk about studying these sites across cultures, how echoes of past camps inform modern confinement, and the continuing legacy of camps.Historical Headline of the WeekNurith

Monuments & National Belonging

Jan 08 2025 51 mins

Sean Graham is joined by Tonya Davidson, author of Inside the Snow Globe: Ottawa Monuments and National Belonging. They discuss Tonya's approach to monuments as a primary source, how publics respond to monuments, and how national monuments fit into local communities. They also talk about some of Ottawa's less known monuments, how memorials change public spaces, and how current even

Residential Schools in the North

Dec 11 2024 49 mins

Sean Graham is joined by Crystal Gail Fraser, author of By Strength, We Are Still Here: Indigenous Peoples and Indian Residential Schooling in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. They discuss the lesser known story of northern residential schools, conducting oral history with survivors, and the Gwich'in concepts of individual and collective strength. They also chat about the significanc

Coincidences

Dec 06 2024 33 mins

Sean Graham is joined by Stephen Osborne, author of The Coincidence Problem: Selected Dispatches 1999-2022. They talk about Stephen's involvement in the launch of Geist magazine, what makes a good dispatch, and why the format is good for storytelling. They also discuss coincidences, how to write about them, and what makes them so entertaining.Historical Headline of the WeekKeegan K

Workplace Sexual Harassment

Nov 30 2024 44 mins

Sean Graham is joined by Bonnie Robichaud, author of It Should be Easy to Fix. They discuss the timeline of her Supreme Court case calling for justice, her reaction to the case taking so long, and having other women reach out to her throughout the process. We also chat about the decisions leading to the Supreme Court case, the problem with non-disclosure agreements, and her advice

Declassified Soviet Archives

Nov 21 2024 48 mins

Sean Graham talks with Cristina Vatulescu, author of Reading the Archival Revolution: Declassified Stories and Their Challenges. They talk about the Soviet archives that have been declassified over the past 20 years, how to approach newly available material, and how trustworthy the Soviet documents can be. They also discuss the individuals who were followed by the Soviet police as

Women's Hockey

Nov 13 2024 49 mins

Sean Graham is joined by Ian Kennedy, author of Ice in their Veins: Women's Relentless Pursuit of the Puck. They talk about the challenge of finding sources for early women's hockey, the sport's development in the first half of the 20th century, and some of the challenges faced by women's hockey pioneers. They then discuss Ian's oral history interviews, the introduction of women's

Alaska, Indigenous Resilience, & the Second World War

Nov 06 2024 45 mins

This week, Sean Graham talks with Holly Miowak Guise, author of Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II. They talk about the lived memory of the Second World War in Alaska, the American occupation of Alaska, and the diversity of the local population. They also discuss local community responses to the war, forced relocation, and how colonial structures shaped the post-war