Big Thinking Podcast

The Big Thinking Podcast is the podcast of the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, featuring some of the most interesting and innovative people in the humanities and social sciences in conversation about their research on important issues of our time.

Redefining the Canadian housing paradigm - Part II

The intersection of climate change and housing crisis in Canada forms a pressing challenge, as extreme weather events become more frequent. Recent wildfires and events like the Saint-John River flood not only jeopardize housing structures but also contribute to displacement and homelessness. For this Big Thinking Podcast episode, Gabriel Miller is joined by Julia Woodhall-Melnik, Assistant Professor at the University of New Brunswick, to discuss the importance of resilient housing...

12-15
35:29

Redefining the Canadian housing paradigm - Part I

The Canadian housing crisis is more than a financial challenge; it's a societal concern with deep-seated roots. The crisis has far-reaching consequences: escalating homes prices, limited affordable housing, and the impact of the pandemic have intensified the struggle and exacerbated social inequalities. For this Big Thinking Podcast episode, Gabriel Miller is joined by Nemoy Lewis, Assistant Professor at the Toronto Metropolitan University to discuss the Canadian housing crisis.

12-08
32:53

Droit de l'intelligence artificielle : l'importance d'une régulation juste

Est-ce que ChatGPT, DALL-E et Midjourney vous dit quelque chose? Ces plates-formes sont quelques exemples parmi de nombreux nouveaux logiciels d'intelligence artificielle qui voient le jour actuellement. Durant ces dernières années, l'IA a été au centre de nombreux débats et discussions, notamment dans le monde académique. Alors que l'IA commence à faire partie de nos vies professionnelles et personnelles, il est important de discuter des enjeux et risques liés à l'explosion de ces tech...

12-01
27:24

She-cession: unveiling the pandemic's impact on women in the workforce

Historically, most recessions have been described as being "he-cessions"; most jobs lost were male dominated industries, and the women led sectors shortly followed. When the Covid-19 pandemic started, women's employment was hit especially hard by the economic slow down that followed, causing some to call it a "she-cession." But what exactly does the term mean, why did it happen, and what does it tell us about the future of our economy? For this Big Thinking Podcast episode, our host Gab...

11-24
34:56

Reconciliation as an everyday practice

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its First Report which documented the experiences of more than 6,000 witnesses who survived living in residential schools as students. Eight years later, it is important to assess what progress we've made and what work remains for us to do in our journey towards Reconciliation. For this Big Thinking Podcast episode, our host Gabriel Miller is joined by Crystal Fraser, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Native...

11-17
29:41

L'avortement au Canada est-il un droit acquis?

Bienvenue sur la page de notre balado Voir Grand, où l'on discute de quelques unes des questions les plus importantes de notre époque avec des chercheur.se.s de premier plan. Suite au renversement de l'arrêt Roe contre Wade par la Cour suprême des États-Unis l'an dernier et aux récentes interdictions de procédures d'avortement au sud de la frontière, il est légitime de se demander ce que tout cela signifie pour le Canada. Gabriel Miller donne la parole à Annie Pilote, doyenne de ...

04-27
27:37

How worried should we be about ChatGPT?

Welcome to the Big Thinking Podcast, where we talk to leading researchers about their work on some of the most important and interesting questions of our time. Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of the Federation, is our host. Artificial Intelligence is on the rise, and ChatGPT is one of the most prominent examples of a new technology that is changing our lives. But what do we really know about ChatGPT and how is it affecting higher education and research? Miller is joined by Lai-Tze Fan...

04-20
27:57

What is the future of books?

Welcome to the Big Thinking Podcast, where we talk to leading researchers about their work on some of the most important and interesting questions of our time. Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of the Federation, is our host. Digital technologies are reshaping every aspect of our society, and books are no exception. But as physical objects, books have a powerful connection to us and our culture. As our world continues changing, it’s worth asking what books mean to us and to our future. ...

04-13
27:49

From the Jheri curl to TikTok: Canada and the global business of Black beauty

Welcome to the Big Thinking Podcast, where we talk to leading researchers about their work on some of the most important and interesting questions of our time. Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of the Federation, is our host. Every day we are bombarded by words and images telling us what we should find beautiful, and what we should aspire to look like. Black Canadians are subject to specific beauty ideals – but where do those expectations come from and how do they affect peoples’ lives? ...

04-05
28:27

Is sport a means for Indigenous self-determination in Canada?

Welcome to the Big Thinking Podcast, where we talk to leading researchers about their work on some of the most important and interesting questions of our time. Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of the Federation, is our host. Sports aren’t just fun and games, they’re a deeper part of who we are and where we come from. Today’s conversation is about Indigenous sport and its connection to self-determination and cultural regeneration. Miller is joined by Allan Downey, Associate Prof...

03-29
30:10

Who cares for the caregivers?

Who cares for the caregivers? is a question too important to ignore especially after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed how our society treats the immigrant care workers we rely on. Miller is joined by Naomi Lightman, Associate Professor of Sociology at Toronto Metropolitan University whose research focuses on migration, care work, gender, inequality and critical research methodology. Thank you to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for making this podcast pos...

03-22
26:14

What don't we understand about the war in Ukraine?

Welcome to the Big Thinking Podcast, where we talk to leading researchers about their work on some of the most important and interesting questions of our time. Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of the Federation, is our host. When Vladimir Putin launched a new military offensive last February, Canada condemned Russia’s actions and support Ukraine. As the war spills into 2023, what should we know about this conflict? What are we to make of the competing narratives about the war’s political, cu...

12-15
31:54

What will hybrid or online learning look like going forward?

Welcome to the Big Thinking podcast, where we talk to leading researchers about their work on some of the most important and interesting questions of our time. Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of the Federation, is our host. The global pandemic transformed our classrooms, forced instructors to reinvent their teaching methods and accelerated the use of online learning tools. Today, Miller is joined by two exciting guests: Professor in the Department of Geography, Earth and Environmental...

12-08
34:23

Is bilingualism in peril in Canada?

Welcome to the Big Thinking podcast, where we talk to leading researchers about their work on some of the most important and interesting questions of our time. Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of the Federation, is our host. With so many developments occurring at various levels of governments on bilingualism and official languages, we wanted to get an expert opinion on the situation in an attempt to answer today’s burning question: is bilingualism in peril in Canada? We are joined by Profess...

12-01
32:31

How does race shape the experiences, education, and achievements of Black youth?

Welcome to the Big Thinking podcast, where we talk to leading researchers about their work on some of the most important and interesting questions of our time. Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of the Federation, is our host. Today we talk about the question of race and the role it plays in shaping the experiences, education and overall life of black youth. We are joined by Dr. Carl E. James, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora in the Faculty of Education at York Uni...

11-22
29:56

Are pandemic times really unprecedented?

Welcome to the Big Thinking podcast, where we talk to leading researchers about their work on some of the most important and interesting questions of our time. Gabriel Miller, President and CEO of the Federation, is our host. Today we talk about the still-evolving COVID-19 pandemic, a health crisis that’s often been called ‘unprecedented.’ But was it? Miller is joined by Madeline Mant, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto to explore this question through the lens o...

11-16
32:54

L’interdisciplinarité au service des dépendances comportementales

Pourquoi est-il essentiel de croiser les regards, les expertises et les méthodologies de différents domaines pour mieux comprendre la complexité des défis en matière de santé publique? Quels sont les bénéfices concrets observés lorsque des chercheuses et chercheurs issu.e.s de différents domaines collaborent ensemble? Aujourd'hui sur le balado Voir Grand, Karine Morin est rejointe par Magaly Brodeur, clinicienne et chercheuse à l'Université de Sherbrooke, afin d'explorer l'importance des appr...

09-26
31:33

Génération connectée : les jeunes face aux dilemmes éthiques du numérique

Bienvenue au Congrès en conversation, une série spéciale présentée par le balado Voir Grand et La Conversation Canada, où nous invitons des intervenant.e.s clés du Congrès 2025 à partager leurs recherches et leurs expériences dans le contexte de notre thème Redessinons le vivre-ensemble. Dans cet épisode, notre hôte Martine Turenne, Rédactrice en chef de La Conversation Canada, est rejointe par la Professeure Megan Cotnam-Kappel. Ensemble, elles abordent le projet VRAenligne, une initiative d...

08-29
34:56

Pride and profit: The politics of corporate allyship

Welcome to Congress in Conversation, a special series presented by the Big Thinking Podcast and The Conversation Canada, where we convene key voices at Congress 2025 to share their research and experiences within the context of our theme Reframing togetherness. In this episode, our host Eleni Vlahiotis, writer and editor specializing in media, business, labour and Canadian politics at The Conversation Canada, is joined by Dr. Daniel Conway and together, they take a closer look at the rise of ...

07-28
43:43

Le nouvel art de se présenter aux élections

Que ce soit en pleine campagne électorale ou entre deux scrutins, les politiciennes, politiciens et partis politiques ne quittent jamais vraiment la scène publique, qui est aujourd’hui devenue numérique. Ce mois-ci sur le balado Voir Grand, Thierry Giasson explore, en conversation avec Karine Morin, comment les personnalités politiques se construisent une image, captent notre attention et façonnent le débat public à travers des stratégies de marketing sophistiquées.

04-30
31:02

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