A Quest for Independence & Relationship to the Homeland

In this episode, guests will explore their relationship with their own identity in relation to their home state. What sets this apart from other episodes, is that their homeland was not, or still hasn’t been, recognized as an independent state. We explore how this fight for independence and recognition has shaped the guests into who they are today, and why they may have a different relationship with their homeland than other Diaspora groups. The two cases represented in this episode are Nagorno-Karabakh and Kosovo.

Diaspora Care Packages: Supporting Homeland

Education/Brain Drain and Diaspora

This episode explores the push and pull factors of immigration in the lives of our guests as well as the notion of brain drain. Joining us for this episode are Azadeh Dastmalchi and Ifrah Arif.&nbsp; Dastmalchi is the CEO and Co-Founder of VitalTracer, a medical startup that designs smart wearable medical devices. Arif currently works as a Senior Policy and Program Advisor at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Mothers of Diaspora

This episode explores the diverse experiences of motherhood in Canada’s Diaspora communities. It navigates the nuances and realities of immigrant women, their experiences, their journeys in Canada, as well as the vital role that mothers play in shaping identities and culture for the next generation. Joining us for this episode are Dr. Jacqueline Getfield and&nbsp; Sharon Findlay, both mothers, and experienced both personally and/or professionally on the subject of diasporic motherhood.

Expectations of Motherhood: “You can’t just leave it at the airport”

Small Town Diaspora

This episode explores what it looks like to find connections in one's hostland in the cozy confines of a small town. What brings that unmistakable sense of home in such places, and how do these communities and the diasporas within them, make their mark on the towns they’ve adopted? Sharing his experiences with us is Tareq Hadhad, Owner/Founder of Peace by Chocolate and a Syrian Refugee in Small Town Nova Scotia.

Everybody Loves Chocolate

Gender, Sexuality and Diaspora

In this episode, Ilaneet and Aida discuss the complexities of navigating their gender and sexual identities in different diasporic spaces. They dive into the challenges of acknowledging gender norms in diverse social spaces while not being prescriptive, the tensions surrounding feminism, and the importance of maintaining boundaries in different settings.&nbsp;

One Word: Boundaries

Indigeneity and Diaspora

In this episode, Jean-Paul and Sacha have a candid conversation about their Indigenous identities as they relate to land and place, and the complexities they face in navigating their identities while living in urban spaces. This episode explores tensions between Indigenous ways of knowing and relationships with the land, and the ownership words utilized in Diaspora Studies.&nbsp;

Our Identities Don’t End at the City Limits

Religion and Diaspora

In this episode Randal and Dilmurat discuss the inseparable nature of their cultural and religious identities, and how histories of persecution based on religion have contributed to a strong sense of peoplehood within their religious diaspora communities. This episode explores fluid and intersecting identities, and cross generational education.&nbsp;

Dinner Conversations and Fluid Identities

War, Conflict and Diaspora

In this episode, Anu and Anastasia explore how conflicts in the homeland influence community cohesion and mobilization, and cultural preservation in diaspora. They discuss how conflicts in their respective homelands influenced their own career trajectories, and generational differences in how those living in diaspora interact with events taking place in the homeland.

Conflict, Cultural Preservation, and Coalescing Identities

Food and Diaspora

In this episode, Samira and Shayan discuss how food contributes to identity formation and cultural connection, and how they have come to understand food as a political tool. This episode explores community building, multiculturalism, racism, and cultural erasure and assimilation as they relate to food.&nbsp;

Why Can’t We all Just Eat Hummus and Get Along?

A podcast that navigates identity, home & belonging through storytelling.

Dispersion is a podcast by the Zoryan Institute that analyzes and celebrates both the diverse and common experiences of diasporas living away from, and returning to, their homeland. Having published its academic journal in the field of diaspora studies for 30 years, the Zoryan Institute is excited to bring the conversation of diaspora to a new platform.&nbsp; Introducing important theories, topics, and experiences related to diaspora and transnational studies through casual conversations with people currently or previously living in Canada. Through conversations with diverse communities in Canada, Dispersion will challenge stereotypes, discrimination, and aim to bring people together through conversations that navigate identity, home, and belonging.&nbsp;The Zoryan Institute is a non-profit organization that serves the cause of scholarship and public awareness relating to issues of universal human rights, genocide, and diaspora-homeland relations. For more from the Institute follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ZoryanInstitute, on Facebook @ Zoryan Canada, on Youtube @ZI e-Chronicles and at <a href="http://www.zoryaninstitute.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.zoryaninstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;

Dispersion

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