David Moscrop is a political columnist, commentator, and author of Too Dumb for Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones. He holds a PhD in political science from the University of British Columbia where he studied the psychology of democratic deliberation. Moscrop’s writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Globe and Mail, Jacobin, and more. He offers political commentary and analysis for radio, television, and print. Moscrop lives in Ottawa.
A blazing collection of responses to the ongoing Canada v. America trade war and ensuing swell of national unity, from a remarkable array of some of our sharpest and most influential Canadian minds, edited by Elamin Abdelahmoud.
It feels disorienting, and at times existential, to watch a trade war escalate and to hear an American president vow to make Canada the “51st state.” But amid the disorientation, there is an urgent question: how do we meet the moment?
The fact that treaties can be broken, that resources can be stolen, and that the consequences of land theft include loss of culture, ritual, and identity is not new to the Indigenous and refugee peoples living in this country. But to many other Canadians, this kind of threat is new. As a result, there appears to be a new sense of a “we” emerging. People are angry and standing together with renewed shared purpose. The swell of Canadian pride is undeniable and important to acknowledge. This is a pivotal moment in history to take stock of how we got here, to learn from our past and walk tenaciously together into an uncertain future.
Inspired by the 1968 collection The New Romans: Candid Canadian Opinions of the US, this new anthology will be edited by bestselling author and CBC host Elamin Abdelmahmoud, and features responses from Margaret Atwood, Omar El Akkad, Jesse Wente, Atom Egoyan, Canisia Lubrin, Tom Power, Niigaan Sinclair, Jay Baruchel, and many more, speaking candidly on America, and Canada, and the malleable contours of a national narrative still taking hold.
Trump. The Alt-Right. The Rise of Populism. What in the world is going on? In this timely book, David Moscrop asks why we make irrational political decisions and whether our stone-age brains can process democracy in the information age.
In an era overshadowed by income inequality, environmental catastrophes, terrorism at home and abroad, and the decline of democracy, Moscrop argues that the political decision-making process has never been more important. In fact, our survival may depend on it.
Drawing on both political science and psychology, Moscrop examines how our brains, our environment, the media, and institutions influence decision-making. Making good decisions is not impossible, Moscrop argues, but the psychological and political odds are sometimes stacked against us. In this readable and provocative investigation of our often-flawed decisions, Moscrop explains what’s going wrong in today’s political landscape and how individuals, societies, and institutions can work together to set things right.
Starring Elamin Abdelmahmoud, Ann-Marie MacDonald, David Moscrop & Paul Myers. [SOLD OUT]
NOTE: 7PM START. Starring Elamin Abdelmahmoud, Scott Anderson, Gabrielle Drolet & David Moscrop. Hosted by Shelley Youngblut
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Iyarhe Nakoda Nations, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of the Métis Nation within Alberta District 6, and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
We’d love to be able to connect directly with you. Sign up here to receive exclusive weekly updates and new show announcements. We promise to make every email newsworthy and entertaining (and by signing up, you help us avoid having to pay to advertise our events on social-media channels).
Join our email list to receive a reminder when shows go on sale.
