Sfu's Vancity Office Of Community Engagement

On this episode of Below the Radar, our host Am Johal is joined by Barbara Adler, interdisciplinary artist, programmer and SFU’s School for Contemporary Arts’ Professional Development Coordinator. Barbara’s artistic work has been presented at The Vancouver Folk Festival, Ballet BC, the Vienna Literature Festival and many more. She currently produces the weekly performance series Sawdust Collector, which showcases experimental and improvised works by established and emerging artists. She holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Simon Fraser University. You can find out more about Barbara's artistic work here: http://www.tenthousandwolves.com/ You can learn about Sawdust Collector here: https://www.sawdustcollector.com/

On this episode of Below the Radar, our host Am Johal is joined by Scott Bernstein, the Director of Policy at Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, a project based at the Faculty of Health Sciences at SFU. He has also done work with Pivot Legal Society in Vancouver and internationally with Open Society Foundations in New York. Together, Am and Scott talk about his work involving harm reduction, decriminalization and drug regulation policies, and discuss potential regulation models with studies such as the North American Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI) and Study to Assess Longer-term Opioid Medication Effectiveness (SALOME). Learn more about the work of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition by visiting their website: https://drugpolicy.ca/

On this episode of Below the Radar, our host Am Johal sits down with John Walker, an award-winning Canadian filmmaker widely known for his documentary films, such as Québec My Country Mon Pays (2016) and Arctic Defenders (2013). He is also one of the co-founders of the Documentary Organization of Canada. In this conversation, John talks about his latest film, Assholes: A Theory. The film is based on the work of Aaron James, author of a book of the same name. Together, they investigate “asshole culture”, and the conditions of our contemporary culture that allows assholes to thrive. Here you can find upcoming screenings of Assholes: A Theory: https://www.assholesatheory.com/upcoming-screenings/ And here is the link to the film on the National FIlm Board of Canada: https://www.nfb.ca/film/assholes-a-theory/

On this episode of Below the Radar, our host Am Johal sits down with Svitlana Matviyenko, an Assistant Professor of Critical Media Analysis at SFU’s School of Communication. Her work and research focuses around topics such as political economy of information, digital militarism, social and mobile media, infrastructure studies, history of science, cybernetics and psychoanalysis. In this conversation, Svitlana talks about digital militarism on a global scale, the impacts of cyberwar on users today, and what is in store for the future of cyberwar. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/39-svitlana-matviyenko.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/39-svitlana-matviyenko.html Svitlana Matviyenko is the co-author of "Cyber-War and Revolution: Digital Subterfuge in Global Capitalism," which was awarded the 2019 STAIR Book Award. Learn more about the book here: https:

On this episode of Below the Radar, Am Johal sits down with Ebony Magnus, the head of the Belzberg Library at SFU Vancouver. Ebony came into the role during SFU Vancouver’s 30th Anniversary and has a focus on community involvement for this branch, both within the university and with the wider community. Together, they discuss some core questions related to libraries, including equal access to technologies, value distinctions between different types of archives, and continued community engagement. To read more about Ebony, check out our website for her bio: https://www.sfu.ca/sfuwoodwards/community-engagement/Below-the-Radar.html To learn more about the Belzberg Library and the other SFU library branches, as well as the different events and programming that goes on, you can visit their website: https://www.lib.sfu.ca/

Glen Coulthard is Yellowknives Dene and is an associate professor in the First Nations and Indigenous Studies Program and the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia. He is also the author of the acclaimed book Red Skin, White Masks: Rejecting the Colonial Politics of Recognition from University of Minnesota Press. On this special episode live from the Vancouver Podcast Festival, host Am Johal sits down with Glen to talk about who and what influences his work and research, the different projects he’s been involved in over the years, and what continues to inspire him to do the work he does. Read more about Red Skin, White Masks: Rejecting the Colonial Politics of Recognition here: www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/b…kin-white-masks Read more about The Fourth World here: www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/b…he-fourth-world You can read more about Glen Coulthard on our blog post: http://sfuwce.org/glen-coulthard/ This episode was recorded live at the 2019 Vancouver Podcast Festival

In Vancouver, discussions surrounding arts and culture are imperative, especially in relation to continued efforts towards decolonization. Indigenous Arts and Culture Planner for the City of Vancouver Kamala Todd tackles this topic with her work, including her contributions to the new cultural plan: Culture | Shift: Blanketing the city in arts and culture. Kamala previously worked as the Aboriginal Social Planner with the City of Vancouver, and continues her work as a cultural advisor and filmmaker. In this episode, Kamala shares what steps the city has taken, and what more needs to be done, to combat the ever-present consequences of colonization. To learn more about the Culture | Shift: Blanketing the city in arts and culture plan on their website: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/culture-shift.aspx

When it comes to making decisions about how things happen in our cities, who has the power to make those decisions? Tiffany Muller Myrdahl, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies and the Urban Studies Program, asks this question along with a host of others in her work and research. From her work with Women Transforming Cities to teaching in the classroom, Tiffany spends a lot of time navigating the inequalities that exist and looking for ways to make spaces and cities more inclusive, particularly for LGBTQ2S people and women. In this episode, Am and Tiffany talk about why this work is necessary and the ways in which Tiffany challenges her students who do this work as well. You can learn more about Women in Cities International, where Tiffany is a board member, by checking out https://femmesetvilles.org/. Additionally, you can read and download the Metropolis report, "Safety and Public Space: Mapping Metropolitan Gender Policies", here: https://www.metropolis.org/sites/

The question of ethics should always be front and centre when it comes to doing research of any kind. For Scott Neufeld and Nicolas Crier, they aim to take this question even further. In collaboration with other folks in the Downtown Eastside and Hives for Humanity, they co-authored Research 101: A Manifesto for Ethical Research in the Downtown Eastside to help facilitate a wider conversation on ethics in cultural production, such as research, media, and artmaking. On this episode of Below the Radar, host Am Johal talks to Scott and Nicolas about how this project came to be, the profound impact it has had for the community, and what’s at stake for ethical research in the Downtown Eastside. You can access a digital copy of Research 101: A Manifesto for Ethical Research in the Downtown Eastside here: http://bit.ly/R101Manifesto You can read more about the processes of developing the manifesto on our blog: http://sfuwce.org/empowering-informed-consent-community-ethics-in-cultural-production/

How well do you know the local music scene in Vancouver? On this episode of Below the Radar, we sit down with Jarrett Martineau, a figure who is very well acquainted with the music scene both locally and abroad. On a local level, Jarrett works as the Music Planner for the City of Vancouver, where he works hard to support the Vancouver music scene and all aspects within that. He is also the host of Reclaimed, which is a weekly series on CBC Music that explores the many worlds of contemporary Indigenous music. In this conversation, we talk to Jarrett about how affordability affects available venues, the diverse array of music being created within the city, and the power of providing the platform of radio to early career musicians. To learn more about CBC’s Reclaimed, you can visit their website here: https://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/program/reclaimed. You can also learn more about the Culture|Shift Plan for the City of Vancouver here: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/culture-shift.aspx. Back in Oc

When it comes to understanding the world around us, we can look and observe change with our eyes. But what about using our ears to listen to the ways in which our environments change? This is the type of work that Milena Droumeva and Brett Ashleigh do. Milena is an assistant professor of sound studies and Brett is a PhD student. Both of them work and research at SFU’s School of Communication, which is quite world famous in the areas of sound studies and soundscape research thanks to the work of R. Murray Schafer, Barry Truax and others. In this episode, Am Johal sits down with Milena and Brett to talk about how listening can offer a unique insight into the ongoing change around us that we might miss if we don’t take the time to do it. You can learn more about the Sonic Research Studio and all the work that they do by checking out their website: https://www.sfu.ca/sonic-studio.html. Watch Milena's TEDxSFU talk, "Sounding out Sexism in Video Games", here: https://www.ted.com/talks/milena_droumeva_sounding_out

In August of 2019, The Binners' Project faced a new change. After 5 years, co-founder Anna Godefroy stepped back and The Binners' Project welcomed Landon Hoyt as their new director. As a follow up to one of the first episodes of Below the Radar, we welcomed Anna back to the studio for a conversation with Landon and our host, Am Johal. Together, we talk about the ways in which The Binners' Project helped to provide economic opportunities and reduce the stigma of waste-pickers, and what's next for the group. To learn more about The Binners’ Project, you can check out their website at https://www.binnersproject.org. You can also take a listen to our previous interview with The Binners’ Project at https://soundcloud.com/sfuw-community-engagement/btr-episode-6-binners-project.

On this episode, our Program Assistant Paige Smith sits down with Teresa MacInnes, one of the directors behind the documentary Conviction. Conviction is a powerful documentary that gives an inside look into what life is like for women in a provincial and federal prison in Nova Scotia. This film asks the women what they would have needed to prevent them from getting into prison. The result of this collaboration with the women in the prison shows another side of these women: products of a broken system, but with care and compassion, they have a chance at a happier life. You can learn more about Conviction by visiting their website, https://convictiondocumentary.com. Be sure to also stay tuned for the premiere of Conviction on CBC’s Documentary Channel, beginning December 1, 2019!

In this episode, the founder of the Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week Joleen Mitton sits down with host Am Johal to discuss how and why she started the fashion show. They touch upon Joleen’s experiences as a teenage model and Indigenous youth mentor, along with her previous collaborations with critically acclaimed Indigenous artist Beau Dick. This year's Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week runs from Nov. 18-21, 2019 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Please visit their website for information and tickets: http://vifw.webflow.io/

On this episode of Below the Radar, our Communications Coordinator Rachel Wong sits down with Maria Cecilia Saba to talk about Andean horror films. Maria Cecilia currently is the Teen Programs Coordinator at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, but previously she worked as the Interim Program Coordinator for our office. We talk to Maria Cecilia about what got her interested in researching two Peruvian-Andean horror films for her Master’s thesis, what her personal experience with horror films are, and how she came to understand the viewing of horror films as a visceral journey and cathartic experience.

Seth Klein, adjunct professor at SFU Urban Studies, and former Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in BC, sits down with Below the Radar to discuss what the Canadian government can do to combat the climate emergency. Seth discusses the proposed environmental policies of the major political parties running in the upcoming federal elections. Additionally, he chats about his forthcoming book which examines political actions the Canadian government undertook in reaction to World War Two, and how we may learn from these actions in regards to addressing climate change. You can keep up to date with Seth’s writings on his blog here: https://sethklein.ca/blog/

What are the similarities and differences between Nationalism and Patriotism? Simon Fraser University professor Jerry Zaslove and graduate student Nermin Gogalic discuss this question through the lens of personal identity and political transformation as seen in the former state of Yugoslavia. This in depth and easygoing conversation between our guests and host Am Johal explores the topic from a number of different academic thinker’s perspectives, digging deep to identify the core components of each ideology. Jerry and Nermin also had a public conversation at the Vancouver Institute for Social Research in Spring 2019 entitled “Transition and Identity in the Post-Yugoslav Environment”, which you can listen to here: https://player.fm/series/visr-vancouver-institute-of-social-research/nermin-gogalic-in-conversation-with-jerry-zaslove-transition-and-identity-in-the-post-yugoslav-environment Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/26-jerry-z

Climate change is a very real issue that we as a society are grappling with. But interestingly enough, climate change denial is particularly strong in the Anglosphere — in English speaking countries. Indian author Amitav Ghosh found the link between movement, the English language, and climate change to be quite interesting, and that is the focus of his book The Great Derangement. This episode features Amitav in conversation with our host Am Johal and special guest host Olive Dempsey from the podcast Big Bright Dark. Amitav Ghosh was in Vancouver for a public talk at SFU as part of their 30th Anniversary of SFU's Vancouver campus, the Indian Summer Festival and SFU Public Square. You can watch an archived version of Amitav's talk on our Knowledge Mobilization A/V Gallery here: https://www.sfu.ca/sfuwoodwards/community-engagement/audio-video-gallery.html You can learn more about Amitav Ghosh and his book The Great Derangement at his website, https://amitavghosh.com. You can learn more about the podcast Big Br

There’s no denying that we are currently in a housing crisis. Regardless of whether you are a homeowner or a renter, the housing market is in a constant state of flux, making it difficult for people to find adequate and affordable housing for themselves. In this episode, we talk to Architects for Social Housing about housing and a potential solution: socialist architecture. Architects for Social Housing co-founders Geraldine Dening and Simon Elmer join host Am Johal to discuss the pillars of socialist architecture, housing as human rights, and why this is the way forward out of our housing situation. Between mid-July and mid-August, Architects for Social Housing hosted four public workshops at Pollyanna Library and drafted a manuscript for a forthcoming publication. You can learn more about Architects for Social Housing and the work they do at https://architectsforsocialhousing.co.uk/. As well, you can check out the current research they are doing as part of their fellowship with 221A by going to https://

In the current neoliberal world order, is it possible for authoritarianism to return? When we look to the founding of Germany in 1949, a decision was made to follow the logic of ordoliberalism: to firmly regulate the state through the market so as to prevent a return of fascism and authoritarianism. However, according to Samir Gandesha, the opposite effect happened. In this episode, Samir and our host Am Johal discuss the ‘neoliberal identity’, what contributes to it, and how this impacts our current political world order. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/23-samir-gandesha.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/23-samir-gandesha.html Bio: Samir Gandesha is the director of the Institute for the Humanities at SFU and an Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities. He specializes in modern European thought and culture, with a particular emphasis on