What parallels can be drawn between personal and societal crisis?
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.
James 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. He is also a staff writer at the Hamilton Review of Books, and the community relations director for the Paris-based Riverside Reading Series. James’ essay “My Struggle and My Struggle,” originally published in CNQ, appeared in Biblioasis’ Best Canadian Essays, 2025 anthology.
Show highlights
00:00 – Introduction
1:47 – A word that describes James’s life as an artist
7:53 – What inspired the book?
15:35 – The consequences of telling the truth about alcohol addiction
21:32 – The crisis of not understanding crisis
24:08 – The form of the essay and in a world of brevity
34:38 – The privilege of truth telling
43:14 – Something James wants to hear now
I found this episode to be moving, and in the end, James leaves us with a profoundly inspiring statement, “another world is possible.”
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Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/journey-of-the-art
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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/
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Host’s links
Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/
Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/
Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/