Ideas

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Singing in Dark Times | Sandeep Banerjee Feb 22, 2024

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"In the dark times, will there also be singing?" Bertolt Brecht once asked. World literature scholar Sandeep Banerjee explores the power of art in times of war — and how ghost stories can help us imagine another world. This talk kicks off a new public lecture series called IDEAS at Crow’s Theatre.

From Page to Stage: Exploring sex and gender in Shakespeare's work Feb 20, 2024

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In the thorny thickets of love and desire, how do Shakespeare’s characters talk to each other? And what’s changed in 400 years? From the Stratford Festival, IDEAS explores the challenges around issues of sex and gender in staging Shakespeare’s plays.

What’s Up with The Birds? Feb 19, 2024

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Fears of technological overreach, environmental decline, and the violent rise of the irrational: our 21st-century anxieties were anticipated in an unlikely 20th-century horror metaphor. “The Birds” – a haunting 1953 short story by Daphne duMaurier, and the truly bizarre 1963 Alfred Hitchcock movie that it inspired. *This episode originally aired on Sept. 6, 2023.

Smart Cities, Technology and the Pursuit of Urban Utopias Feb 16, 2024

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Nothing seems to make a city politician’s eyes light up like the promise of the smart city. In his book, Dream States, journalist John Lorinc questions whether smart technologies live up to the hype and whether ultimately smart cities serve the interests of city dwellers or big tech companies. *This episode originally aired on Sept. 19, 2023.

Obtaining Justice Without Demonizing Your Enemies: Martha Minow Feb 14, 2024

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In the age of growing polarization, how do you tackle injustice without demonizing your enemies? Former Harvard Law School dean Martha Minow tackles that question in her 2023 Horace E. Read Memorial Lecture.

Seduced by Story: The Dangers of Narrative Feb 13, 2024

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Humans are storytelling creatures. But literary scholar Peter Brooks argues that stories have become far too dominant as the way we understand ourselves and the world. IDEAS examines the dangers of seeing everything as a story. *This episode originally aired on March 7, 2023.

The Dark Side of Charisma: Molly Worthen Feb 09, 2024

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Charisma can be a dangerous thing in politics. Writer and scholar Molly Worthen examines how today’s breed of charismatic leaders presents themselves as having the power to transform lives, transfixing their followers into unquestioning fealty, in her 2023 Larkin-Stuart Lecture. *This episode originally aired on Oct. 3, 2023.

Hands Up Who Loves Timmins Feb 08, 2024

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Timmins calls itself “the city with a heart of gold." And it offers a fast track to permanent residency for immigrants willing to move there. IDEAS producer Tom Howell finds out what this northern Ontario city has to offer a newcomer, and who’s ready to fall in love with Shania Twain’s hometown. *This episode originally aired on Sept. 11, 2023.

Ulysses and the Art of Everyday Living Feb 02, 2024

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What does it mean to be a good person? Irish scholar and writer Declan Kiberd argues that Ulysses — James Joyce’s iconic novel — has lessons to teach us about the art of everyday living.

The Meaning of Ice: Arctic research embracing traditional knowledge Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

Climate change has transformed the Arctic faster than most places on the planet. Inuit know this better than anyone. But as Arctic ice researcher Dr. Shari Fox argues a colonialist approach to Arctic research by academia has largely disrespected and sidelined traditional knowledge. She's working to change that. *This episode originally aired on Jan. 11, 2023.

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