On this page, all Rational Space Disputations, both in audio and video format, can be found. The format is that Frances Widdowson invites on a new guest each week. In the first hour, Widdowson interviews the guest; in the second hour, the guest interviews Widdowson. They are called “disputations” because they often dispute dominant points of view and areas of disagreement are not avoided.
Rational Space “Disputations”
Disputation One (with Robin Collins)
In this disputation, Robin Collins and Frances Widdowson interview one another about left-wing politics and woke-ism, free speech, and indigenous-non-indigenous relations.
In this disputation, Mark Mercer (professor of philosophy and President of the Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship [www.SAFS.ca]) and Frances Widdowson interview one another about the philosophy of science, the use-mention distinction, and restoring universities’ academic mission
Disputation Three (with Brian Giesbrecht)
In this disputation, Brian Giesbrecht (a retired Manitoba Court Judge) and Frances Widdowson interview one another about the residential schools and the alleged discovery of unmarked graves and the history of indigenous-non-indigenous relations.
Disputation Four (with Kathleen Lowrey)
In this disputation, Kathleen Lowrey (Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta) and Frances Widdowson interview one another about feminism and transactivism, the increasing authoritarianism in universities, and the political economy of neotribal rentierism.
Disputation Five (with Albert Howard)
In this disputation, Albert Howard and Frances Widdowson discuss the labour theory of value, postmodernism, religion, vaccine mandates, the trucker convoy, indigenization, and feminism.
Disputation Six (with Rima Azar)
In this disputation, Rima Azar (Mount Allison University) and Frances Widdowson interview one another about their disciplinary proceedings at Mount Allison University and Mount Royal University respectively.
Disputation Seven (with Christopher Nagle)
In this disputation, Christopher Nagle (essayist, poet, and polemicist) and Frances Widdowson interview one another about “indulgence capitalism”, trans activism, sexual politics, indigenous issues, and the increasing totalitarianism at universities.
Disputation Eight (with Elizabeth Weiss)
In this disputation, Elizabeth Weiss (an anthropology professor from San Jose State University) and Frances Widdowson interview one another about the repatriation of indigenous remains, indigenous archaeology, the unmarked graves near Canadian residential schools, and cultural evolution.
Disputation Nine (with David Millard Haskell and William McNally)
In this disputation, David Millard Haskell, William McNally, and Frances Widdowson interview one another about free speech in universities, the Lindsay Shepherd Affair, and the Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship.
Disputation Ten (with Jim Heller)
In this disputation, Jim Heller and Frances Widdowson discuss cults, trans activism, Islam, Trumpism, and Widdowson’s case.
Disputation Eleven (with Sinclair MacRae)
In this disputation, Sinclair MacRae and Frances Widdowson discuss ethics, critical theory extremism and academic freedom, and some criticisms of Widdowson’s position.
Disputation Twelve (with Lloyd Hawkeye Robertson)
In this disputation, Lloyd Hawkeye Robertson discuss the mapping of the self, “woke-ism”, indigenizing the Enlightenment, the Aboriginal Industry, mobbing, and the unmarked graves.
Disputation Thirteen (with Ian Gentles)
In this disputation, Ian Gentles and Frances Widdowson discuss revolutions, abortion, the residential schools and Widdowson’s case.
Disputation Fourteen (with Chanel Pfahl)
In this Disputation, Chanel Pfahl and Frances Widdowson interview one another about Pfahl’s suspension from teaching, Critical Race Theory, uneven and combined development, and standing up to bullies.
Rational Space Disputations 15 (with Stephane Serafin)
In this Disputations, Stephane Serafin and Frances Widdowson interview one another about contract law, civil versus common law, the natural law tradition, indigenous property rights and various academic freedom controversies.
Rational Space Disputations 16 (with Pamela Lindsay)
In this Disputations, Pamela Lindsay and Frances Widdowson discuss “Guess who’s coming to dinner?”, whether questions about paedophilia can be discussed at a university, EDI, and how Widdowson’s academic environment has been poisoned.
Rational Space Disputations 17 (with Michael Rectenwald)
In this Disputations, Rectenwald and Widdowson discuss Rectenwald’s imbroglio at NYU, the labour theory of value, the Sokal Hoax, the effectiveness of satire, and the future of universities.
Rational Space Disputations 18 (with James Pew)
In the Disputation, James Pew and Frances Widdowson discuss Marshall McLuhan, social media and tribalism, “white identity politics”, “woke-ism”, and Widdowson’s case.
Rational Space Disputations 19 (with Neil Thin)
In this Disputation, Neil Thin and Frances Widdowson discuss Dr. Thin’s encounter with activists, “woke-ism”, and the importance of satire.
Rational Space Disputations 20 (with Mark Smith)
In this Disputation, Mark Smith and Frances Widdowson discuss child sexual abuse allegations, the Kamloops Indian Residential School case, and moral panics.
Rational Space Disputations 21 (with Michael Gonzalez)
In this Disputation, Michael Gonzalez and Frances Widdowson discuss Black Lives Matter, historical materialism, and Frances Widdowson’s case.
Rational Space Disputations 22 (with Paul Viminitz)
In this Disputation, Paul Viminitz and Frances Widdowson discuss the philosophy of religion, Judaism, Indigenization and Decolonization, and trans activism.
Rational Space Disputations 23 (with Mark Hecht)
In this “Disputation”, Mark Hecht and Frances Widdowson discuss Mount Royal University’s cancellation of Hecht’s field school, diversity and social trust, and “woke-ism” in universities.
