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Return to Tripoli

Libyan novelist Hisham Matar was still a boy when his family fled to Cairo in order to escape the dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi. He talks to IDEAS host Paul Kennedy about his recent return to a country that his imagination never left.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Tinctor's Foul Manual

Our ideas about witches may come from an extraordinary manuscript found in the University of Alberta Library. It's one of only 4 known copies. Written in the 1400s and now being re-translated from medieval French, it created the framework for witch hunts.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:59]

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Legends of the Ilnu of Mashteuiatsh of Quebec

From the shores of Lac St. Jean in Northern Quebec come these ancient stories of the Mashteuiatsh Ilnu.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Idolatry For Beginners (Encore June 20, 2012)

At a time of widespread obsession with everything from money to celebrity to the latest in techno gadgetry, does the idea of idolatry have more than religious significance? Frank Faulk explores the meaning of idolatry in a secular age.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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My Brother's - And My Sister's - Keeper, Part 2

Anything you can do to make someone's life better, you must do. Right? But how much do you owe to other people, and who should you help? In this series, we consider the limits and the extent of our obligations to others, as individuals and as a society.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Vasari's Most Eminent Lives (Encore Jan 21, 2013)

In the mid-1500s, Giorgio Vasari's short biographies created art history, the artist as genius and even the "Renaissance". Tony Luppino leafs through Vasari's Lives to see how it still shapes our ideas of art.

Download Vasari's Most Eminent Lives (Encore Jan 21, 2013)
[mp3 file: runs 00:53:58]

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Revising History, Part 2

What happens when historians go searching for new evidence about the nation's past? Historian Robert Johnson speaks to some American historians who are asking us to reconsider America's role in the Vietnam War.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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My Brother's - And My Sister's - Keeper, Part 1

Anything you can do to make someone's life better, you must do. Right? But how much do you owe to other people, and who should you help? In this series, we consider the limits and the extent of our obligations to others, as individuals and as a society.

Download My Brother's - And My Sister's - Keeper, Part 1
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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York In Flames

Two hundred years ago, on April 27th, 1813, an invading American army attacked the muddy little town of York - which is now Toronto. Paul Kennedy revisits the battleground, as part of IDEAS continuing coverage of the War of 1812 bicentennial.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:59]

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Madeleine Blair: Nobody's Victim

A rare and detailed account of a prostitute and brothel owner in the Canadian west during the late 1800s reveals the integral role prostitutes played in shaping the Canadian frontier.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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The Heart of the Beat

What is it about rhythm, pattern, and synchronization that fascinate us? How do pacemaker cells in a heart synchronize? How can thousands of people unconsciously walk in step? Filmmaker Tess Girard explores the idea of rhythm and what it means to us.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Legends of the Kainai (Encore March 3, 2008)

Dramatizations of the old stories of the Blackfoot of southern Alberta, provide a glimpse into this ancient culture's sacred beliefs, traditions and heroes.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Worthy Parasites: A Villain's Silver Lining

People hate parasites. They bring pestilence, misery, even death. Rosemary Drisdelle explores these much maligned creatures and their importance in nature, and she unveils exciting new medical research into the good they can do for us.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:59]

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The Visionary, Controversial, Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer was one of the great visionaries and humanitarians of the 20th century. Writer and broadcaster Megan Williams looks back on his life and legacy.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:58]

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Wachtel On The Arts - Yoko Ono

A controversial, iconic figure, Yoko Ono is today regarded as a multi-media innovator. At 80, she remains an adventurous and committed conceptual artist and musician, celebrated internationally. Eleanor Wachtel talks to Yoko Ono.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:18]

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Mur-Écran, The Windscreen

Fermont, Quebec was designed as the mining community of the future. Its 1.3 kilometre-long windscreen complex was built to shield residents from the sub-arctic climate. Simon Nakonechny heads north to find out what has become of this visionary town.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:39]

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Riel's Revenge

A recent Supreme Court decision in favour of the Manitoba Metis Federation could fundamentally change the nature of Crown/Metis relations in Canada. We hear from interested participants, including Thomas Berger who argued this case for almost three decade

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Sailing Alone Around The World

In 1895 Joshua Slocum set off to sail alone around the world. It had never been done, and it took 3 years. Since then, fewer than 200 people have sailed in his wake. Philip Coulter explores this greatest challenge sailors set for themselves.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:59]

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Revising History, Part 1

What happens when historians go searching for new evidence about the nation's past? Historian Robert Johnson looks at what happens when Russians begin to examine Stalin's vaunted role as a leader during World War II.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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The Enright Files

Michael Enright, in conversation with two trail-blazing female political leaders: Vigdís Finnbogadóttir and Mary McAleese. In 1980, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir became the first woman in history to be elected as a constitutional head of state when she became pre

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Rethinking Depression, Part 3

Mary O'Connell brings us the stories of the depressed on the path to wellness and the methods that can be used to get them there.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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The Signal of Noise (Encore June 14, 2012)

Once long past, listening gave clues for survival. Now we listen unconsciously, blocking noise and tuning in to what we want to hear. Yet the unwanted sounds we filter out tell us a lot about our environment and our lives. Broadcaster Teresa Goff listens

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Wachtel On The Arts - Patti Smith

Eleanor Wachtel talks to American singer-songerwriter, poet, and visual artist Patti Smith.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:50:42]

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Legends of the Mik'maq

The rich oral tradition of the Mi'kmaq is highlighted in four fascinating stories - stories of power and magic that provide insight into the culture of this First Nation from Canada's east coast.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:59]

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Rethinking Depression, Part 2

IDEAS producer Mary O'Connell explores the short and troubling history of the antidepressant.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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The End of Growth

Economist Jeff Rubin and environmentalist David Suzuki might seem an unlikely pairing. But they've been touring Canada together, talking about the natural limits to growth from their very different perspectives. We listen in as they try to convince a Calg

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Philosophy Bites

Philosophy doesn't have to be an arcane subject. It's about people thinking, and like Socrates, asking simple questions. Meet Nigel Warburton who wants to take philosophy off its pedestal and make it lucid and enjoyable. His A Little History of Philosophy

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:59]

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Rethinking Depression, Part 1

Depression. It has been called the mean reds. The blue devils. The black dog. And through history, treatments for depression have varied wildly. In the Middle Ages, depressives were caged in asylums. In Victorian England, wealthier patients were sent to s

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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A Word to the Wise, Part 2

Times have changed. So has the study of wisdom. Philosophers, make room for the scientists! In this two-part series, Marilyn Powell talks to psychologists, sociologists, neuroscientists - and the wise that dwell among us - about a very old topic. What th

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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The Enright Files

As the cardinals gather in Rome to pick a new Pope, Michael Enright speaks with Garry Wills, who explains why his rejection of the Vatican hasn't shaken his Catholicism, and with legendary New York newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin, about his break from t

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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A Bow to the Bow

Lapsed cellist Eitan Cornfield enters a world of exotic materials, pirates, forgers and geniuses. Master bowmakers, dealers, collectors and musicians reveal a passion for the bow that rivals their passion for Strads and Guarneris.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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The Faces of Eve

She represents the first woman on earth in Christian and Judaic traditions. In Islam she's known as Hawwa. To many, she's the thoughtless vixen who tempted man away from God. But a closer look shows a daring champion of human ingenuity and equality. Nicol

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:01]

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A Word to the Wise, Part 1

Times have changed. So has the study of wisdom. Philosophers, make room for the scientists! In this two-part series, Marilyn Powell talks to psychologists, sociologists, neuroscientists - and the wise that dwell among us - about a very old topic. What th

Download A Word to the Wise, Part 1
[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Opening the Book

The book has stayed pretty much the same for over 500 years: a bunch of paper pages between covers. It's been both finite and easily grasped. But our digitally-connected world is forcing us to re-imagine what books could be.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:58]

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Wachtel On The Arts - Taryn Simon

Eleanor Wachtel speaks with Taryn Simon whose art mixes camera-work, writing and graphic design to raise questions about truth and certainty.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:58:50]

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The Imaginary Albino

From the 19th century freak show to the East African black market in body parts to the modern cinema, the image of the albino has seized the popular imagination. Garth Mullins is a person with albinism and at six feet, four inches tall, he stands out in a

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Legends of the Old Massett Haida (Encore November 24, 2006)

The Haida are an ancient and powerful nation, internationally renowned for their artwork. Despite modern day assimilation, the Haida of Haida Gwaii are fiercely proud of their culture and history. Their stories of creation and transformation illustrate th

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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War, Peace and Health

Canadians of all ages are delivering health care to people in war ravaged regions. Meet three Canadians who are rolling their sleeves up to make a difference. IDEAS host Paul Kennedy joins them along with peace advocate and mentor, Ursula Franklin, to tal

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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A Remarkable Encounter

Three young women are working, from opposite sides of the world, to make it possible for girls to grow up, educated and safe, in Afghanistan. Two of them live in Kabul. The other lives in Kelowna, Canada. Journalist and author Sally Armstrong accompanies

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Brain Bang Theory

Dr. Charles Tator grew up loving hockey. Now, as an eminent neurosurgeon, scientist and researcher, he must face the patients and the families of those who suffer from concussions, spinal cord injury and disability. He's learned a lot about traumatic spor

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:59]

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The Games of Olympia

One year from today - on February 7th, 2014 - the 22nd Olympic Winter Games begin in Sochi, Russia. As the countdown begins, IDEAS takes you back in time to Ancient Greece to see what the very first Olympic Games - known then as the Olympic struggles -

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Imagination, Part 2 (Encore October 18, 2012)

The poet William Blake claimed that the imagination is our highest faculty and central to our perception and experience of reality. More than two hundred years later, scientific research on the brain and creativity confirms the great poet's insight. IDEAS

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Imagination, Part 1 (Encore October 17, 2012)

The poet William Blake claimed that the imagination is our highest faculty and central to our perception and experience of reality. More than two hundred years later, scientific research on the brain and creativity confirms the great poet's insight. IDEAS

Download Imagination, Part 1 (Encore October 17, 2012)
[mp3 file: runs 00:53:59]

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The Enright Files - The Police Procedural

What makes a mystery novel more than a guilty pleasure? Michael Enright, host of The Sunday Edition, in conversation with two masters of the police procedural: Swedish writer Henning Mankell and American novelist Craig Johnson.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Iron Curtain

In 1945, at the end of World War II, an Iron Curtain rolled over Eastern Europe. Stalin, his allies and the secret police set out to seize control over a dozen countries and turn them into communist states. IDEAS host Paul Kennedy speaks with journalist a

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Back To The Future in Fogo

As a young woman, Zita Cobb left her birthplace - the relatively remote island of Fogo, off the east coast of Newfoundland - to get an education, and ultimately to find her fortune. Not long ago, she returned to invest that considerable fortune turning Fo

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Paying for Parking

We engineer our roads to accommodate traffic, but cars and other vehicles spend almost all their time parked. All those parking spaces - and finding them - cause huge economic, environmental, and even social problems. Dave Redel searches for a good spot t

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:58]

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Valley of the Deer

Canadian video artist Jillian McDonald spent much of the past year as 'artist in residence' at Glenfiddich Distillery, in the highlands of Scotland. As a Burns' Night tribute to both Art and Whisky, IDEAS host Paul Kennedy visits her in Dufftown, and watc

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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A Serpent's Tale (Encore June 15, 2012)

IDEAS contributor Hassan Ghedi Santur discusses the mysterious evolutionary history of snakes and their fearsome reputation. Along the way, he confronts his own case of ophidiophobia - you guessed it: the "abnormal fear of snakes."

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Iceberg Ship Habbakuk

1942: Hitler's U-Boats are ravaging merchant ships that Britain depends on for its survival. Enter a plan, for a gigantic warship, to help the Allies win the Battle of the Atlantic. It will be built in Canada and made from ... ice! Richard Longley tells

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[mp3 file: runs 00:54:00]

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Vasari's Most Eminent Lives

In the mid-1500s, Giorgio Vasari's short biographies created art history, the artist as genius and even the "Renaissance". Although rife with inaccuracies and outright lies, his book is still the source on Leonardo, Michelangelo, and many others. Tony Lup

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[mp3 file: runs 00:53:58]

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The Nation of Hockey, Part 2 (Encore February 8, 2012)

The back of our five dollar bill shows kids playing shinny on a timeless pond somewhere in Canada. But Calgary writer Bruce Dowbiggin argues that hockey is far more than simple nostalgia or big business. It's a clear window into the complexity of modern C

Download The Nation of Hockey, Part 2 (Encore February 8, 2012)
[mp3 file: runs 00:52:09]

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