In 2022, the Collins Dictionary announced that its word of the year was “permacrisis,” which it defined as “an extended period of instability and insecurity, especially one resulting from a series of catastrophic events.”

Drawing on social research, pop culture and literature, as well as on his experience as an activist, father and teacher, James Cairns explores ecological and political crises, his own struggle with addiction and other moments of truth facing us today.

To celebrate the launch of his collection of essays, In Crisis, On Crisis: Essays in Troubled Times, James Cairns is joined by Avery Moore Kloss to explore how crisis is defined and how it can be navigated.

James Cairns is a professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, where he is a professor in the Department of Indigenous Studies, Law and Social Justice. He lives with his family in Paris, Ontario, on the territory recognized as belonging to the Six Nations of the Grand River in perpetuity. He is a staff writer at the Hamilton Review of Books and community relations director for the Riverside Reading Series.

James has published three books, most recently, The Myth of the Age of Entitlement: Millennials, Austerity, and Hope (2017), as well as numerous essays in periodicals including Canadian Notes & Queries and the Journal of Canadian Studies. James’ essay “My Struggle and My Struggle,” originally published in CNQ, appeared in Biblioasis’s Best Canadian Essays, 2025 anthology.

Avery Moore Kloss is the founder of Folktale Studio and an award-winning journalist, radio documentarian, and podcast host passionate about helping people share their stories through audio. A graduate of Carleton University and the Salt Institute, she’s worked in journalism, marketing, and now teaches audio storytelling at Wilfrid Laurier University. Through her studio and podcast “Grown Up”, she continues to uplift voices, preserve histories, and inspire future storytellers.