Gettin' Historical With It

Professor Tong Lam: Policing the Imperial Nation — Late Qing & Xinhai

Welcome to Gettin’ Historical With It, a student-led podcast from the University of Toronto Mississauga. Host Nihal Naqvi is joined by co-host David Casazza and guest Professor Tong Lam. In this episode they unpack Professor Lam’s article “Policing the Imperial Nation: Sovereignty, International Law, and the Civilizing Mission in Late Qing China.” Professor Lam explains how late-Qing policing reforms—imported from the West yet tailored to imperial needs helped dismantle the dynasty and set the stage for modern China. The conversation traces: * The fall of the Qing and the 1911 Xinhai Revolution. * How foreign powers, eager to expand their own influence, pressured China to adopt new legal and policing models. * The birth of a U.S.-centred world order in the early 20th century—and how China’s leaders responded by redefining sovereignty and state power. * Echoes of late-imperial policing in today’s People’s Republic, where a resurgent China positions itself as a counterweight to American dominance. Together the hosts and Professor Lam explore the historical roots of today’s U.S.–China rivalry, the enduring impact of “states of exception,” and the possibilities for reimagining sovereignty in an era of shifting global power.

Professor Julie MacArthur: Redrawing Borders in Colonial Kenya

Welcome to Gettin’ Historical With It, a student-led podcast from the University of Toronto Mississauga. I’m your host, Nihal Naqvi, joined by co-host Selena Haddad and our guest, Professor Julie MacArthur. In this episode, we discuss her paper, Decolonizing Sovereignty: States of Exception along the Kenya-Somali Frontier. Professor MacArthur explores how colonial power structures persist through states of exception, shaping governance and marginalizing Somali communities. We examine historical legacies, struggles for self-determination, and the possibilities of decolonizing sovereignty today.

Professor Brian Gettler: Colonialism’s Currency - Money, Power, and Indigenous Displacement

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Gettin’ Historical With It, a student-led podcast produced in partnership with the Collaborative Digital Research Space and the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Hosted by Nihal Naqvi, with co-host Helky Herrera, this episode features an insightful conversation with Professor Brian Gettler about his book, Colonialism’s Currency: Money, State, and First Nations in Canada, 1820-1950. In this episode, we delve into how colonial powers utilized various forms of currency—such as treaty payments, welfare provisions, and the Hudson's Bay Company's "made beaver" system—to assert political and economic control over Indigenous communities. Professor Gettler sheds light on the role of money in shaping colonial sovereignty, Indigenous displacement, and economic dependency, while also connecting these historical dynamics to contemporary discussions on systemic racism in Canada. Join us as we explore the complex intersections of colonialism, finance, and Indigenous resistance in Canada's history. For those interested in a deeper dive, you can find Professor Gettler's book on Amazon: Colonialism's Currency: Money, State, and First Nations in Canada, 1820-1950 [https://www.amazon.com/Colonialisms-Currency-Nations-Canada-1820-1950/dp/0228001188]. Don't forget to subscribe and stay tuned for more episodes of Gettin’ Historical With It!

Professor Elspeth Brown: Queer Photography in Vogue during WWI by Baron Adolph de Meyer

In this episode, host Nihal Naqvi and co-host Lorelai McKeown sit down with Professor Elspeth Brown to explore the groundbreaking work of Baron Adolph de Meyer, a pioneering fashion photographer whose queer identity shaped his artistic vision. We discuss how de Meyer’s pictorialist style and first Vogue publication in 1913 helped redefine fashion photography and challenge gender norms during World War I. We also examine queer aesthetics, consumer culture, the ArQuives’ role in preserving LGBTQ+ history, and insights from Professor Brown’s book Work!. Tune into Gettin' Historical With It for an engaging discussion on art, history, and queerness in photography.

Professor Mairi Cowan: Missionaries, Francisation, and Demons in New France

Episode Title: In this episode of Gettin’ Historical With It, hosts Nihal Naqvi and Gurjot Kaur sit down with Professor Mairi Cowan from the University of Toronto Mississauga to explore the intricate intersections of faith, colonialism, and education in 17th-century New France. Diving into Professor Cowan's work on the Ursuline Convent and Jesuit missionaries, we discuss how nuns sought to "Francize" Indigenous students, the political tensions that shaped missionary efforts, and the surprising ways Jesuits accommodated Indigenous beliefs—including encounters with so-called demons. Tune in for a fascinating conversation on theology, colonial priorities, and historical complexities!