What parallels can be drawn between personal and societal crises?
In this episode, I’m joined by James Cairns, professor and writer of the essay collection In Crisis, On Crisis, to discuss what happens when we examine crisis not just from the lens of societal injustice and political upheaval but also from the lens of personal, secret struggles.
James opens up about overcoming alcohol addiction, and we discuss the impact of his revelation on his work relationships. We also stumble on a looming crisis as we unpack these matters—the diminishing privilege of truth telling and what that means for artists.
Show highlights
- A word that describes James’s life as an artist
- What inspired the book?
- The consequences of telling the truth about alcohol addiction
- The crisis of not understanding crisis
- The form of the essay and in a world of brevity
- The privilege of truth telling
- Something James wants to hear now
“Another world is possible.”
James Cairns
I found this episode to be moving, and in the end, James leaves us with a profoundly inspiring statement: “Another world is possible.”
In Crisis, On Crisis is available now, and you can buy it here.
Got any thoughts on this episode or want to suggest authors you’d like to see on the show? Send me a note here.
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About James Cairns
James Cairns lives with his family in Paris, Ontario, on territory that the Haldimand Treaty of 1784 recognizes as belonging to the Six Nations of the Grand River in perpetuity. He is a professor in the Department of Indigenous Studies, Law and Social Justice at Wilfrid Laurier University, where his courses and research focus on political theory and social movements. James is a staff writer at the Hamilton Review of Books, and the community relations director for the Paris-based Riverside Reading Series.
James has published three books with the University of Toronto Press, most recently, The Myth of the Age of Entitlement: Millennials, Austerity, and Hope (2017), as well as numerous essays in periodicals such as Canadian Notes & Queries, the Montreal Review of Books, Briarpatch, TOPIA, Rethinking Marxism, and the Journal of Canadian Studies. James’ essay “My Struggle and My Struggle,” originally published in CNQ, appeared in Biblioasis’ Best Canadian Essays, 2025 anthology.
About In Crisis, On Crisis
In 2022, the Collins Dictionary announced that its word of the year was “permacrisis,” which it defined as “an extended period of instability and insecurity, especially one resulting from a series of catastrophic events.” Have we reached a breaking point, arrived at the moment of truth? If so, what now? If not, why do so many people say we’re living through a period of unprecedented crises?
Drawing on social research, pop culture and literature, as well as on his experience as an activist, father and teacher, James Cairns explores the ecological crisis, Trump’s return to power amid the so-called crisis of democracy, his own struggle with addiction and other moments of truth facing us today. In a series of insightful essays that move deftly between personal, theoretical and historical approaches, he considers not only what makes something a crisis, but also how to navigate the effect of these destabilizing times on ourselves, on our families and on the world.
Guest’s links
Buy In Crisis, On Crisis: https://bookstore.wolsakandwynn.ca/products/in-crisis-on-crisis
Connect with James on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesicairns/
Host’s links
Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/
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