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CRSP Talk Podcast

Join us as we talk to researchers, students, practitioners, and policy and social change makers to explore diverse topics related to human security. CRSP Talk features discussions about threats to human security as well as insights into how it is enhanced and sustained. Along the way, we will periodically pause to discuss the research process itself and how researchers journey from generating ideas to sharing findings.

Each podcast episode includes a full transcript of the discussion, bios for participants and special guests, and links to resources and studies mentioned.

Dr. Nuha Dwaikat-Shaer

Episode 24: Stuck, Silent, and Disposable

How Precarious Migrants in Rural Ontario Fight for Legal Aid

Join Dr. Nuha Dwaikat-Shaer, a social worker and researcher, discussing her qualitative study on the challenges migrants with precarious immigration status face when seeking legal aid. The discussion focuses on the lives of essential migrant workers and international students in rural Southern Ontario who are often invisible in legal and social systems, facing barriers like geographic isolation, language issues, and fear of retaliation.

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A red fist against a black background

Episode 23: Misaligned Frameworks (Part II)

Migrant Exploitation and Anti-trafficking Efforts

In Part II of this two-part series on human trafficking, the focus shifts from sex work to migrant labour, and what is left out when trafficking frameworks dominate policy responses. This episode centres the work and expertise of migrant justice organizer and scholar Dr. Evelyn Encalada-Grez.

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A red fist against a black background

Episode 22: Misaligned Frameworks (Part I)

Migrant Exploitation and Anti-trafficking Efforts

This is the first in a special two-part series on human trafficking that takes a critical deep dive into trafficking discourse, state power, and their impact on migrant and sex workers. Featuring interviews with legal scholar Vincent Wong and organizer/writer Chanelle Gallant, Part I traces how vague and flexible trafficking frameworks can expand carceral state power, amplify racialized and colonial logics of protection, and produce real-world harms through policing, surveillance, raids, detention, and deportation.

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A detailed illustration of facial recognition software in action

Episode 21: Police Use of Facial Recognition Technology

Public Perceptions and Engagement in Policy Making

Let’s unpack the rise of facial recognition technology in Canadian policing—how it works, where it’s being used, and why public consultation matters more than ever. Andrea Slane and Chris O’Connor, researchers from Ontario Tech University, explore their project on the real-world impacts of this technology following the Clearview AI scandal.

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Palestine's flag

Episode 20: Research in Settler Colonial Contexts

A Conversation on Palestine

In this episode, CRSP Steering Committee member Nuha Dwaikat-Shaer brings together colleagues Ron Smith and Omar Jabary Salamanca to have a conversation about research in settler colonial contexts, with a focus on Palestine.

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A laptop on a bed in a dark room.

Episode 19: Combating Violent Extremism

From Policy to Practice

Join us as we unravel the complexities of violent extremism in Canada with our esteemed guests, psychologist Ghayda Hassan and social work expert David Yuzva Clement. In this episode, we discuss the growing threat of far-right hate groups, fueled by social polarization and the powerful influence of social media.

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A drawing of a treehouse, showing bright green leaves at the top and the root system at the bottom.

Episode 18: From Roots to Home

Visualizing the Journey Through Homelessness

Join us for the last episode of our mini-series on homelessness and belonging, featuring Erin Dej and Jason Webb discussing "From Roots to Home," an art piece born from shared experiences of homelessness.

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A white sign on the street, asking to return a buggy of food.

Episode 17: The "Hum" of Dispossession

Belongings and Homelessness

Join us for another episode of our mini-series on homelessness and belonging. The "Hum," as described by Connie Long, a peer and advocate in British Columbia, is the constant noise of dispossession as homeless people’s belongings are seized, stolen and destroyed.

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A welcome mat that says "come as you are"

Episode 16: Community, Belonging and Homelessness

Social Inclusion in Mid-Sized Cities

Join us for the first episode in our mini-series on homelessness and belonging. In this episode, Avery is joined by guest hosts Marcus Sibley and Jessica Braimoh to discuss social belonging and homelessness in mid-sized Canadian cities.

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A close-up of a Black man's face

Episode 15: Black Overrepresentation in the Canadian Youth Justice System

The Role of Ethnic Associations

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Robert Ame to talk about his work on Black overrepresentation in the Canadian Youth Justice System and why he thinks ethnic associations play a critical role in the search for a solution.

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Two hands tied together with a rope

Episode 14: Human Trafficking in Canada

Examining Critical Perspectives

In this episode, we look at critical perspectives on human trafficking in Canada - something that is often misunderstood and heavily policed. Included are the perspectives of academics doing research on human trafficking, an advocacy group representing indoor sex workers and a criminal defence lawyer who works primarily with migrant workers in Canada.

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A female police officer

Episode 13: Women in Policing

The Challenges Facing Equity and Inclusion Initiatives

In this episode, we talk about the challenges facing equity and inclusion initiatives when it comes to attracting and retaining women police officers at all ranks. Our four guests are international experts in the field of diversity in policing.

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Policing mental health crisis

Episode 12: Policing Mental Health Crisis

Personal and Professional Perspectives

On this episode of CRSP Talk, CRSP researcher Jennifer Lavoie takes us through her own and other Canadian research on police responses to people in mental health crisis. Joining this conversation are professionals from mental health agencies, a police officer who works in training and a person with lived experience of police interactions while in mental health crisis.

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From bureaucracy to bullets

Episode 11: From Bureaucracy to Bullets

Extreme Domicide and the Right to Home

On this episode of CRSP Talk, we welcome Centre for Research on Security Practices researchers Bree Akesson and Andrew Basso to talk about their new book, Bureaucracy to Bullets: Extreme Domicide and the Right to Home. We discuss Bree and Andrew's work in warn-torn countries around the world, including their thoughts on how domicide can be applied to the Russian assault on Ukraine.

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Unlocking hard to access research

Episode 10: Unlocking Hard to Access Research Sites

Tales of Researching Powerful Criminal Justice Institutions

In this episode, we explore the idea of gaining research access to institutions like police agencies or corrections facilities. Securing access can be a complicated process with many barriers to entry, sometimes insurmountable for criminologists who want to conduct research on criminal justice or security institutions.

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Conceptualizing trauma

Episode 9: Conceptualizing "Trauma"

Navigating Suffering in International Research

In this episode, Avery leads a panel discussion on conceptualizing trauma and suffering, and how research methods can be used to walk the tightrope of both acknowledging the reality of research participants' suffering, while also uncovering their everyday experiences and humanity.

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Perceptions of safety

Episode 8: Perceptions of Safety in Rural Places

A Case Study

On this episode, we bring you a case study on how people living in rural places perceive their personal safety and well-being, from what "community safety" means to how they (or how they don't) interact with the police in rural places. During this research project six rural community members from the County of Brant, Ontario were interviewed anonymously about their feelings of safety and well-being.

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Place-based research

Episode 7: Place-Based Research

Why Place Matters

In this episode, we invite a panel of international researchers to discuss the importance of place in research. Led by Professor Susan Kemp from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, the panel discusses the importance of place in human security and the theoretical lens they bring to their research work.

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Women's homelessness in Canada

Episode 6: Women's Homelessness in Canada

A Gendered Experience

A brand new report on a groundbreaking survey completed by the Women's National Housing and Homelessness Network sheds new light on housing and homelessness in Canada as a gendered experience for women and gender diverse people. Network Co-Chair Kaitlin Schwan joins Avery to dive deep into the research and break down the 10 Key Findings that have changed the conversation on women's homelessness in Canada.

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The art of security

Episode 5: The Art of Security

Artists in the Surveillance Space

Alongside scholars and concerned journalists, a vibrant artistic movement is emerging to interrogate and intervene in security and surveillance operations. Critical surveillance art can be visually appealing, intensely participatory, and sometimes deeply troubling. In this episode, we feature the work of Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Dries Depoorter, two artists who take different approaches to critical surveillance art.

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Aesthetic approaches

Episode 4: Aesthetic Approaches

Visualizing Sercurity Studies

On this episode, we’re talking about visualizing security studies and how scholars are working with different aesthetic approaches to research. Our panel of guests includes Sara Matthews, Nayrouz Abu Hatoum and Brett Story, who all use visual representation as a way of thinking about security.

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International research ethics

Episode 3: International Research Ethics

Dancing on a Moving Carpet

In this episode, we invite a panel of international researchers to discuss their experiences with research ethics while performing field work in international settings. This panel discussion was inspired by ongoing conversations between CRSP members and their colleagues about the challenges of practicing research ethics in the field.

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Body-worn cameras

Episode 2: Body-Worn Cameras

What We Know and Where to Go

In this episode, researchers discuss the expectations and evidence-based conclusions about body-worn camera efficacy. We speak to important issues of transparency, the need for policies that demonstrate care for their communities, and the need for organizational reform alongside effective technological integration.

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CRSP Talk Podcast

Episode 1: Exploring Podcast Options for Knowledge Mobilization

In our first episode, we discuss the advantages of using podcasting as a way of sharing research findings. Because there is a diverse range of podcasting formats, selecting the one most appropriate for communicating your research stories can be difficult. To make choosing the right format a little easier, we explore the characteristics of four popular podcasting styles.

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