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Updated 11/07/2023
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Updated 16/01/2025
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

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Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated 01/07/2020

6 Aug

Protecting childhood innocence is a disservice to kids, argues expert

We should move away from this idea that childhood should be filled with innocence, safe from the knowledge of difficult things argues Critical Cultural Theorist of Childhood Julie Garlen. Kids do experience difficulty, even in the best of circumstances, and she suggests they need the tools and language to navigate the lives they are living. Constructing childhood as a time of innocence limits children's opportunities for growth and learning. *This episode originally aired March 27, 2025.
5 Aug

Eugenic thinking has never gone away

Eugenics is seen as a 19th-century idea put into horrific 20th-century practice. But the attraction to breeding “better” humans has a long and persistent history, says Adam Rutherford. The geneticist and science podcaster explains, in conversation with host Nahlah Ayed. *This episode originally aired on January 20, 2023.
10 Aug

What emerges from the ashes after a wildfire? (Pt 3)

The summer of 2026 has been defined by the smoke — and the horror — of wildfires around the world. But what comes after one of these fires? "That isn't the end of the story. That's the beginning of a whole different kind of story," says Nlaka'pamux ecologist Jennifer Grenz. That's why we have decided to follow the long-term story of one 21st century megafire: the 2021 McKay Creek wildfire in interior B.C. Producer Pauline Holdsworth returned in September 2025 — four years after the fire — to find new life emerging from the ashes, and new questions about the road ahead. This is the latest episode in our ongoing series Healing the Land. Listen to other episodes: How brutal wildfires are 'killing' Indigenous ways of life (Pt 1) How Indigenous ecology is reviving land destroyed by wildfires (Pt 2) Guests in this episode: Chief Justin Kane is the elected Chief of Ts'kw'aylaxw First Nation. Michelle Edwards is the Tmicw Coordinator for the St'át'imc Chiefs Council and the former Chief of the communities of Sekw'el'was and Qu'iqten. Dr. Jennifer Grenz is an Indigenous scholar and assistant professor in the department of forest resources management at UBC, and the principal investigator at the Indigenous Ecology Lab. She is a member of Lytton First Nation, where she sits on the lands committee. She is also the author of Medicine Wheel for the Planet: A Journey toward Personal and Ecological Healing and the forthcoming book Burned: Truth and Hope in the Fires. Virginia Oeggerli is a PhD student in the Indigenous Ecology Lab in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC. Dr. Sue Senger is a biologist working with the Lillooet Tribal Council. Gerald Michel is a council member and the lands resource liaison for Xwísten First Nation.
12 Apr

High speed rail: Nation builder or billion dollar boondoggle?

A high speed rail project between Toronto and Quebec City is on the table, promising jobs and billions in economic impact — but also raising concerns from communities and politicians. In this episode, we dig into what Canadians want to know about high‑speed rail and whether the country is ready for it. Our question: What questions do you have about high speed rail in Canada? Is it a good or bad idea?
15 Feb

AMA: Ask Me Anything: Youth and Violent Online Content

The New York Times published an article detailing the Tumbler Ridge shooter's online activity which included regular exposure to extremely violent content online. The shooter's digital footprint reflects a broader pattern where youth are being drawn into what some researchers call "nihilistic violence." To unpack what this means, Matina Stevis-Gridneff, Canada Bureau Chief for The New York Times, and Steven Rai, Senior Research Manager at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, joined us for a special Ask Me Anything.
22/04/2024

2050 presents What On Earth: “Can Earth Day be badass again?”

The climate is changing. So are we. On What On Earth, you’ll explore a world of solutions with host Laura Lynch and our team of journalists. In 1970, 20 million people showed up to fight for the environment on the first Earth Day. More than five decades later, is it time for this much tamer global event to return to its radical roots? OG organizer Denis Hayes recounts how – amidst other counterculture movements at the time – his team persuaded roughly one in ten Americans to take to the streets. As he approaches 80, Denis offers his singular piece of advice to the next generation of climate leaders. Then, environmental warriors Maria Blancas and Axcelle Campana share ideas on what a reinspired Earth Day could look like – including making it a public holiday. More episodes of What On Earth are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/uIkc33FT We love to hear from our listeners and regularly feature them on the show. Have a question or idea? Email Earth@cbc.ca
04/06/2025

Are greenwashing laws doing more harm than good?

Corporate leaders say Canada’s new greenwashing rules are causing companies to pull back on their climate ambitions. We hear from the executive chair of Maple Leaf Foods about what he says is a “greenhushing” effect of the legislation. Then, we hear from a lawyer and a climate advocate about the pros and cons of the federal government’s new law.
26 Jan

Can a trucker's life entice young people to take the wheel?

Jacques Picotte used to drive 16 hours straight, with only water and a bag of chips in the cab before resting at a pit stop. That was 20 years ago. He pushed his limits then, but now he's known as the toughest truck driving instructor — a reputation he's proud of. He believes it's vital schools take pride in putting highly-skilled truck drivers on the road. An Ontario trucking union predicts a shortage of 30,000 truckers in Canada as old hands retire faster than new ones take on the job. IDEAS producer Tom Howell visits Jacques Picotte at his trucking school in northern Ontario, where recruits consider living a trucker's life and the road ahead.*This episode originally aired on March 4, 2024.
19/12/2025

Why spirituality is central to Indigenous mathematics

Indigenous math isn't just about numbers and equations, it involves culture, spirituality and more. Math professor Edward Doolittle, a Mohawk from Six Nations in Ontario, sees math as something embedded in Creation itself. In his Hagey Lecture at the University of Waterloo, he describes Indigenous mathematics as being grounded in cognition, emotion, the physical world and community. Indigenizing math, Doolittle hopes, will make it more approachable and meaningful to Indigenous students — show them how entwined it is with everyday life and something much bigger than ourselves.
5 Apr

Oil shocks, Disappearing dining rooms, Youth social media bans, Planet Money

Guest host David Common speaks with Stanford economist Ryan Cummings and Macdonald-Laurier Institute energy expert Heather Exner-Pirot about how today's oil shock compares to past crises, and how Canada may fare as war in the Middle East continues Architect and author John Ota traces the cultural history of dining rooms, and why they're disappearing Business Insider's Amanda Hoover and York University's Natasha Tusikov break down the issues shaping conversations around youth social media bans Planet Money contributor Alex Mayyasi helps us understand the economic forces shaping our lives.

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