Le Bon’s Nightmare: Activism and Social Movements
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EP59: January 6th and the Myth of the Mob (ft. James Jasper and Joy Rohde)
Scholars used discredited crowd theory to explain the events of January 6ths. These are straight from the physician Gustave Le Bon, a bigot who hated the masses. Is it OK to apply reactionary ideas to reactionary movements, out of political expediency? We think no.Listen now -
EP42: The Road From Roe (ft. Becca Andrews, Chelsea Ebin & Laurie Bertram Roberts)
For years, abortion rights advocates have worried about the United States drifting towards abolishing Roe vs. Wade. Could this be the moment? On this episode of Darts and Letters, we look at the road from Roe: years of court cases and anti-choice activism that have led to the current showdown that threatens the right to choose.Listen now -
EP30: Summer in the City (ft. Sandra Fairbank & Daniel Aldana Cohen)
In late June, the Pacific Northwest experienced extreme weather by way of a heat dome that settled over the region, driving up temperatures, and setting heat records. In Portland, the temperature reached 112F (44C) while Lytton, B.C. broke Canada’s heat record three days in a row before burning to the ground on the fourth day.Listen now -
EP23: Back to the Land: Indigenous Schooling in a Colonial State (ft. Kyla LeSage & Leanne Betasamosake Simpson)
Canada is a colonial and genocidal state, past and present. The horrifying news of the discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School is evidence of that, as is ongoing inaction and state resistance to reconciliation. And the university shares some blame. In this episode, we offer a brief history of residential schools and explore how Indigenous education can offer a way towards healing.Listen now -
EP22: The Colonial Lens (ft. Uahikea Maile, Max Liboiron, & Pam Palmater)
Scholars want to decolonize everything, and universities say they are doing the hard work of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. But is anything really being done, or is it all for show? In this episode, we approach these questions through three words that are common inside and outside of academia: decolonize, reconciliation, and colonialism.Listen now