The Conversation Lab
The Conversation Lab - Curiosity. Conversation. Connection. What happens when we stop trying to win an argument and start trying to understand one another? At a time when our conversations seem increasingly divided by politics, identity, culture, and competing versions of the truth, The Conversation Lab begins with a simple proposition: perhaps the most important thing we can do is keep talking. Hosted by veteran broadcaster, journalist, and social justice researcher Don Shafer, The Conversation Lab creates space for conversations that matter—with community advocates, authors, researchers, artists, activists, changemakers, and people whose voices too often go unheard. We explore the issues shaping our communities and our world. But we're just as interested in the human stories behind those issues, the experiences that shape our beliefs, and the possibilities that emerge when we listen with curiosity rather than judgment. Drawing on more than fifty years in broadcasting and doctoral research at the University of British Columbia into the power of words in a polarized world, Don approaches each conversation with a conviction that dialogue is more than an exchange of opinions. It can be a way of building understanding, challenging assumptions, repairing relationships, and imagining a more just and compassionate world. The Conversation Lab broadcasts on Vancouver's CFRO 100.5 FM, on the last Saturday of each month at 9 a.m. Pacific. Also available through community and campus radio stations across Canada and on your favourite podcast platform. CFRO FM (Co-op Radio) is located in Vancouver's downtown eastside on the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-waututh) Nations where we are grateful to be able to do this work.
Episodes
In this episode I am joined by Rasna Mantha, founder of the Vancouver-based Universal Limbs Foundation, and certified prosthetist Saja Amro about their work supporting injured Palestinian medical evacuees.
They explore prosthetic care, trauma and rehabilitation, psychosoci...
She entered provincial politics in 2022 and, after a remarkable few years that took her through BC United, the BC Conservatives, a period as an Independent, and eventually CentreBC, she now finds herself leadin...
How much housing do we need, and where should it go? How do communities accommodate growth while protecting the environment that attracted people there in the first place? What happens when aging infrastructure and limited water...
In this conversation, we go back to Kirk's early life, his remarkable career in Canadian journalism, what he's learned about leadership and public life, and eventually, why he's decided to run for mayor of West Vancouver.
It's less about t...
If you've ever wondered whether your children or grandchildren will be able to afford to live in your community, worried about housing, transportation, water, wildfire risk, climate change, traffic congestion, environmental protection, or simply what future generations will inherit, then you already have a stake in this conversation.
While this episode focuses on Bowen Is...
When I later circled back to thank them, many of those I spoke with credited their approach to the teachings of Jean Watson. I was curious w...
With curiosity and care, Liz opens up about what it means to meet people where...
His latest...
Corey Nathan is the Executive Producer and Host of the Talkin Politics & Religion Without Killing Each Other podcast. In this podcast, we discuss the importance of words and conversations in various aspects of life.
Corey Nathan shares his background as a stockbroker and theatre conservatory student, as well as his experiences as an entrepreneur and podcast producer. We emphasize the need to build bridges and have meanin...
Just over a year ago, we elected a new municipal council and in this podcast our Mayor (Andrew Leonard) talks about the challenges and opp...
Held is a partnership of facilitators, culture creators, and practitioners building a world liberated from oppressive systems, dynamics, and relationships. In this episode, one of their founders, Vanessa Faloye explains how with the help of co-founders, Alex and Pria, how they hold people, organizations and movements to build relational skills and cultural practices rooted in collective liberation. Our conversation highlights t...
In this episode Wendy and I talk about the concept of paradox and its relevance to organizational dynamics and personal decision-making. We talk about the importance of recognizing that beliefs and values are shaped by historical context and influence our perception of the world. They emphasize the need to focus on what is right and find transformative moments to navigate the future differently. We
discuss the importance of...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
DISGRACELAND is an award-winning music and true crime podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly. Jerry Lee Lewis's 5th wife? Dead. Sid and Nancy? Both dead. Why? Because musicians are insane, and insane things happen to them. Why did we lose Amy Winehouse at 27? Was Debbie Harry really abducted by Ted Bundy as she claims? Is Patti Smith not just the "Godmother of Punk", but also the "Original True Crime Girl"? What really happened the night of the Jay Z nightclub stabbing? What do the Diddy indictments truly reveal? All these stories and more, on artists from every genre and their true crimes, in our massive 260-plus story archive. The Dead, the Stones, Johnny, Willie, Frank, Kurt, Courtney, Gaga, Lana, Taylor, and too many to name. DISGRACELAND is music history come to life through audio storytelling as you've never heard it before, with revealing facts: yes, assassins are the real reason the Beatles quit touring—reclaimed myths: no, Mama Cass didn't die from choking on a ham sandwich––and constant reckoning between art and artist––all told through the lens of true crime. This is the podcast for the self-proclaimed "Disgos", the musically obsessed and the true crime heads; the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried. DISGRACELAND is where host Jake Brennan tells the stories they didn't want told. The kind you'll end up telling someone else. Get ready to uncover hidden truths and buckle up for truly edge-of-your-seat storytelling. New, fully scripted, sound-designed episodes are released every Tuesday. Bonus chat-style episodes where Jake responds to voicemails, texts, and emails from Disgos hit on Thursdays, and "Rewind" episodes from our archive drop on Sundays. DISGRACELAND is not a journalistic podcast. It's an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. Certain dialogue and scenes are dramatized, as is common in scripted entertainment based on real stories. Sources and credits for each episode are available at www.disgracelandpod.com. To unlock ad-free listening, exclusive content, and connect with your fellow Disgos, go to www.disgracelandpod.com to become an All Access member. Rocka Rolla.