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The Family Tree

When podcast producer Dave Pickering is approached by his dad with a mystery from the life of a long-forgotten friend, he decides to investigate it in the only way he knows how: by having conversations. Mark Sullivan, who went missing 15 years ago, has been found dead. His body still has the arm he should have lost in a car accident and seems to have died eight years before he disappeared. In a series of 12 episodes, Dave tries to uncover this mystery through conversations with Mark’s family and friends. As he gets to know them, his questions lead to more questions… the mystery runs deeper than anyone imagined. The Family Tree is a magical realist drama about family, belonging, change and identity.
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Now displaying: Category: Cutting
Aug 20, 2019

In the fifth Cutting of Season 3, Dave considers different elements of identity. He talks to Scout Pup about furries and puppies, and speaks to Alex Iantaffi about genograms, intergenerational trauma and mind plasticity. The episode features more clips from the Meg-John and Justin podcast, which consider hierarchies of love and relationships.

CONTENT NOTE: trauma, holocaust, genocide and intimate partner violence.

The Family Tree’s Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

Find our Guests!

Alex Iantaffi: http://www.alexiantaffi.com/

Gender Stories Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gender-stories/id1353717550

Meg-John and Justin (podcast, book, zines): https://megjohnandjustin.com/

Meg-John Barker (writing, zines):  https://www.rewriting-the-rules.com/

Justin Hancock’s sex and relationship education for young people: Bish

https://www.bishuk.com

https://bishtraining.com/

Life Isn’t Binary by Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Isnt-Binary-Beyond-Between/dp/1785924796

 

Jul 16, 2019

In the fourth Cutting of Season 3, Dave considers different forms of and approaches to therapy; talks to poet, playwright and performer, Tanaka Mhishi about consent, masculinity and recovering from trauma; and plays some clips from the Meg-John and Justin podcast, which consider social and personal scripts, staying with our feelings, and power.

CONTENT NOTE: rape, sexual assault, suicidal ideation, mental health issues, racism, violence, trauma

The Family Tree’s Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

Find our Guests!

Tanaka Mhishi: https://tanakamhishi.co.uk/

Tanaka’s work around sexual violence: https://www.angles.org.uk/profiles/tanaka-mhishi/

The Consent Collective: https://www.consentcollective.com/

Meg-John and Justin (podcast, book, zines): https://megjohnandjustin.com/

Meg-John Barker (writing, zines):  https://www.rewriting-the-rules.com/

Justin Hancock’s sex and relationship education for young people: Bish

https://www.bishuk.com

https://bishtraining.com/

Tanaka’s episode of Getting Better Acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-347-tanaka-mhishi

May 28, 2019

In the third Cutting of Season 3, Dave talks to Philosophy Tube’s Oliver Thorn, witchcraft scholar Dr. Alice Tarbuck, and historian Dr Robert Poole about the history, philosophy and ideology of persecution. Dave also considers how the legacy of Lancaster Castle, his own family tree, and an excellent twitter thread by Dr Clare Askew fit within idea that ‘we are the heirs of the witch hunters.’

This episode follows on from the last Cutting, which looked at Magic –  http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/the-family-tree-season-3-cuttings-2-magic/ – and is a companion piece to this Cuttings episode from Season 2: http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/the-family-tree-season-2-cuttings-2-systems-and-structures/

Zoe Prosser, who gives a reading in this episode, was a guest in this Cuttings episode from Season 1: http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/cutting-5-fantasies-and-conspiracies/

The Family Tree’s Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

Find our Guests!

Oliver Thorn: Twitter - @OllyThorn, @Philosophy Tube  Philosophy Tube - https://www.youtube.com/user/thephilosophytube

The video featured in this episode is Witchcraft, Gender & Marxism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmk47kh7fiE

Dr. Alice Tarbuck - https://alicetarbuck.net/

https://twitter.com/atarbuck

Dr Clare Askew: https://twitter.com/OneNightStanzas

The twitter thread featured in the episode is this one: https://twitter.com/onenightstanzas/status/1049601689089728512

Dr Robert Poole: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/staff_profiles/dr_robert_poole.php

The book focused on in this episode is The Wonderful Discovery of Witches in the County of Lancaster https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thomas-Wonderful-Discovery-Witches-Lancaster/dp/1874181780

Apr 23, 2019

In the second Cutting of Season 3, Dave talks to Dr. Alexander Cummins and Dr. Alice Tarbuck about magic and its role in society from the past to the present. And the creators of The Boy Who Hasn’t Lived, CJ Bruce and Arlie Adlington, discuss their families’ perceptions of magic as they were growing up, as Arlie prepares to introduce CJ to the Harry Potter series.

The Family Tree’s Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

Find our Guests!

Dr. Alexander Cummins - http://www.alexandercummins.com/

Dr. Alice Tarbuck - https://alicetarbuck.net/

CJ & Arlie on The Boy Who Hasn’t Lived - http://www.theboywhohasntlived.com/

Mar 12, 2019

In the first Cutting of Season 3, Dave talks to Professor Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad and Philosophy Tube’s Oliver Thorn, discussing philosophical questions around transition, change and belief.

The Family Tree’s Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

Find our Guests!

Professor Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad – publications - https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Chakravarthi+Ram-Prasad

Papers - http://lancaster.academia.edu/ChakravarthiRamPrasad

Lancaster University - http://www.research.lancs.ac.uk/portal/en/people/chakravarthi-ramprasad(02068fdc-a65d-4a1f-982f-659e6620190f).html

BBC Radio 4 – In Our Time - Hindu Ideas of Creation -  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03k289f

Oliver Thorn: Twitter - @OllyThorn, @Philosophy Tube  Philosophy Tube - https://www.youtube.com/user/thephilosophytube

Apr 13, 2018

In the fifth Cutting of season 2, Dave tries to process recent developments on The Family Tree and get perspectives that will help with issues in his personal life by asking questions about how we deal with loss and with death.

Content Note: Death, bereavement, dementia, illness, suicide, euthanasia, violence, murder

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

iTunes RSS

Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Find our Guests!

Imam Monawar Hussain: https://www.theoxfordfoundation.com

Reverend Azariah France-Williams: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-shapeshifters/id1100385786?mt=2

Rabbi Charley Baginsky: http://www.liberaljudaism.org

Wasi Daniju: http://wasidaniju.com/

Against Borders For Children: https://www.schoolsabc.net/

Shaun Attwood: http://shaunattwood.com/

Marlo Mack: http://www.howtobeagirlpodcast.com/

Tony Pickering: Pick-Art.com

Peter Wohlleben: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-hidden-life-of-trees/peter-wohlleben/9780008218430

Peter Pickering: Dave's essays about his father: Down to a sunless sea: memories of my dad

 

Previously on The Family Tree Cuttings:

http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/cutting-6-the-big-questions/

 

Dec 19, 2017

In the fourth Cutting of season 2, Dave tries to make sense of recent developments on The Family Tree by talking to an Imam, a Priest and a Rabbi about death, change, transition, faith and belief.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

iTunes RSS

Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Find our Guests!

Imam Monawar Hussain: https://www.theoxfordfoundation.com

Reverend Azariah France-Williams: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-shapeshifters/id1100385786?mt=2

Rabbi Charley Baginsky: http://www.liberaljudaism.org

Previously on The Family Tree Cuttings:

http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/cutting-1-podcasts-and-priests/

http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/cutting-8-stories-and-more-stories/

 

Nov 23, 2017

***CONTENT NOTE: This episode generally deals with interpersonal, systemic and state violence but the section from 9.29 min to 26.10 min involves the experience of living in prison and includes graphic descriptions of violence.***

In the third Cutting of season 2, Dave looks at the ways that systems and structures hurt people considered different, other or lesser, in order to contextualise the ways that society might treat Changelings.

We hear from Schools ABC about their work fighting to keep immigration checks out of UK schools (1.55-9.29); from writer, activist and ex-prisoner Shaun Attwood about his experience in the Arizona Prison system (9.29-26.10); from intersectional feminist, therapist and equality consultant, Guilaine Kinouani, who reflects on how the mental health system operates for marginalised people (26.10-48.33); and from Marlo Mack from the How to Be A Girl podcast, who considers how being a parent of a transgender child feels in Trump’s America (48.33).

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

iTunes RSS

Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Find our Guests!

Against Borders For Children: https://www.schoolsabc.net/

Schools ABC crowdfunder: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/againstbordersforchildren

Wasi Daniju: http://wasidaniju.com/

Shaun Attwood: http://shaunattwood.com/

Guilaine Kinouani: https://racereflections.co.uk

https://twitter.com/KGuilaine

Marlo Mack: http://www.howtobeagirlpodcast.com/

On Getting Better Acquainted:

https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-314-wasi

https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-218-shaun-attwood

https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-274-guilaine-kinouani

Previously on The Family Tree Cuttings:

http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/the-family-tree-season-2-cuttings-1-flesh-and-blood-bark-and-seed/

 

Oct 30, 2017

In the second Cutting of season 2, Dave talks to his dad about living with dementia, his brother about making art about diagnosis, and with true storyteller Radcliffe Royds about addiction, past lives and what it's like to come back from the dead. These conversations explore the kinds of human experiences that might help us to understand the experiences of Changelings.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

iTunes RSS

Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Find our Guests!

Tony Pickering: Pick-Art.com

Radcliffe Royds: The Radcliffe Episodes

Peter Pickering: Dave's essays about his father: Down to a sunless sea: memories of my dad

Sep 24, 2017

In the first Cutting of season 2, Dave talks to Marlo Mack about her podcast How to Be a Girl and to Peter Wohlleben about his book The Hidden Life of Trees. From Marlo, he looks for guidance on balancing telling important true stories with protecting the lives of the people whose stories you're telling. And from Peter, he finds out how trees feel and communicate, and considers whether there is precedent for humans and trees communicating with each other.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts.

iTunes RSS

Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Find our Guests!

Marlo Mack:

How to Be a Girl

A little update from Marlo

Peter Wohlleben:

The Hidden Life of Trees

"The man who thinks trees can talk to each other"

Dec 15, 2016

The final Cutting of Season 1 gives you an extra slice of the drama: Dave takes the Sullivans aside as the cheesecake is served and asks them about their experiences since the podcast has aired.

Dec 8, 2016

In Monday’s episode, Dave talked to Sam. When they finished recording, they asked him to turn the mic back on so they could explain what being non-binary means. This week’s Cutting takes that as its starting point, and Dave talks to CN Lester and Sez Thomasin about being non-binary. Featuring poetry by Sez Thomasin.

Find our Guests!

Sez Thomasin: Twitter

CN Lester: Twitter, Trans Like Me: A Journey for All of Us, music

Dec 1, 2016

In this week’s Cutting, Dave plays clips from the series so far to members of his family and is as surprised and concerned about their reactions as they are about what they hear.

Find our Guests!

Peter Pickering

Tony Pickering: Twitter

Nov 24, 2016

As the podcast audience widens and the Sullivans reveal more and more personal information, Dave’s concern about protecting their privacy grows. In this week’s Cutting, he talks to Alix Fox and Girl on the Net, both of whom regularly share personal information online, about maintaining privacy in a public forum.

Find our Guests!

Alix Fox: Close Encounters podcast, The Modern Mann podcast

Girl on the Net: Twitter, books

Also mentioned: Brook

Nov 17, 2016

Since Jane’s shocking revelation, Dave has been thinking about the impact of sharing true stories in public spaces. In this week’s Cutting, he talks to Joanna Yates, Kevin Allison, Andre Radmall and Azariah France-Williams about the importance and ethics of true storytelling.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts. They are also a space to platform listener information. If you know anything about what happened to Mark, you can call 0203 290 0592. Please be aware that your message may be played on the show.

Find our Guests!

Joanna Yates: Spark London

Kevin Allison: RISK!

Andre Radmall and Azariah France-WilliamsThe ShapeShifters

Nov 3, 2016

Since Beech’s revelation, questions about humanity have been playing heavily on Dave’s mind. In this week’s Cutting, he asks his guests the big questions: ‘What does it mean to be human?’ and ‘What is Consciousness?’ In this episode, you’ll hear voices from both past and future Cuttings.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts. They are also a space to platform listener information. If you know anything about what happened to Mark, you can call 0203 290 0592. Please be aware that your message may be played on the show.

Find our Guests!

Helen ZaltzmanThe AllusionistAnswer Me This!

Martin Zaltz Austwick: The Sound of the LadiesSong by SongGlobal LabBrain Train

Andre Radmall and Azariah France-WilliamsThe ShapeShifters

Sonja Todd: Erwin (a comic about Erwin Blumenfeld)

 Charlie Phillips: The Guardian, Article about PopCo

Jackie Hagan: Some People Have Too Many Legs

Samantha Asamadu: Media Diversified, The Feminist Filmmaker, twitter

Musa Okwonga: twitter

Alix Fox: Close Encounters podcast, The Modern Mann podcast

Girl on the Net: Twitter, books

Zoe Prosser & Gary Blake: Zoe & Gary on Getting Better Acquainted

Rusty Quill: The Rusty Quill Gaming Podcast, Rusty Quill Twitter

Dean Haglund & Phil Leirness: The Truth is out There, Chillpak Hollywood Hour, Dave on Chillpak Hollywood Hour, Chillpak Hollywood Hour Twitter, The Lady Killers

Joanna Yates: Spark London

Kevin Allison: RISK!

Sez Thomasin: Twitter

CN Lester: Twitter, Trans Like Me: A Journey for All of Us, music

Oct 28, 2016

Today’s Cutting comes in two parts. After hearing Nathan’s concerns about the conflict between live action role play and table top gaming, Dave investigates this issue with the table top role-playing gamers from The Rusty Quill Gaming Podcast and LARPers, Zoe Prosser and Gary Blake. In the second half of the show, Dave focuses on some of Nathan’s other interests and speaks to the makers of the documentary, The Truth Is Out There, Dean Haglund (from The X-Files) and Phil Leirness, about conspiracy theories and other-worldly views.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts. They are also a space to showcase listener theories about the mystery. If you have a theory about what happened to Mark, you can call 0203 290 0592. Please be aware that your message may be played on the show.

Find our Guests!

Zoe Prosser & Gary Blake: Zoe & Gary on Getting Better Acquainted

Rusty Quill: The Rusty Quill Gaming Podcast, Rusty Quill Twitter

Dean Haglund & Phil Leirness: The Truth is out There, Chillpak Hollywood Hour, Dave on Chillpak Hollywood Hour, Chillpak Hollywood Hour Twitter, The Lady Killers

Oct 20, 2016

Having personal conversations in public is always a risky business, but Dave is particularly aware that his guests this week were under sixteen. With Melissa and Melanie’s well-being at the front of his mind, he reaches out for guidance and advice. In this week’s Cutting, Dave explores issues of privacy, sharing your private life publically, navigating the internet as a young person, and sex and education. He talks to journalist, broadcaster and sex educator, Alix Fox; writer and sex blogger, Girl on the Net, and podcasters Biz Ellis and Theresa Thorn from One Bad Mother.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts. They are also a space to showcase listener theories about the mystery. If you have a theory about what happened to Mark, you can call 0203 290 0592. Please be aware that your message may be played on the show.

Find our Guests!

Alix Fox: Close Encounters podcast, The Modern Mann podcast

Girl on the Net: Twitter, books

Biz Ellis & Theresa Thorn: One Bad Mother podcast, One Bad Mother Twitter

Also mentioned: Brook, BISH

Oct 13, 2016

Picking up on some of the themes of this week’s episode of The Family Tree, Dave speaks to founder of Media Diversified, Samantha Asamadu; Nikesh Shukla, editor of the brilliant state-of-the-nation essay collection, The Good Immigrant and poet and journalist, Musa Okwonga about issues around representation and lived experience in fiction, drama and the media.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts. They are also a space to showcase listener theories about the mystery. If you have a theory about what happened to Mark, you can call 0203 290 0592. Please be aware that your message may be played on the show.

Find our Guests!

Samantha Asamadu: Media Diversified, The Feminist Filmmaker, twitter

Nikesh Shukla: The Good Immigrant , twitter

Musa Okwonga: twitter

Oct 6, 2016

In Mark Sullivan’s absence, Dave is aware of the dangers of discussing issues without involving those affected by them. Mark’s decision to become a vegan was one that shaped the life of both himself and his family, so Dave talks to Sonja Todd and Charlie Philips about their experiences living in the world as vegans.  Another issue that affected Mark deeply was the loss of his arm in a car accident. Dave speaks to poet, theatre maker, comedian and community arts worker Jackie Hagan about her experiences as an amputee.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts. They are also a space to showcase listener theories about the mystery. If you have a theory about what happened to Mark, you can call 0203 290 0592. Please be aware that your message may be played on the show.

Find our Guests!

Sonja Todd: Erwin (a comic about Erwin Blumenfeld)

Charlie Phillips: The Guardian, Article about PopCo

Jackie Hagan: Some People Have Too Many Legs (The Frog and Bucket, Manchester 23/10/16)

Sep 29, 2016

The Family Tree is a very different podcast from the one Dave normally produces, so he talks to podcasters Helen Zaltzman and Martin Zaltz Austwick about what it's like to change the kind of show you make, and asks for some advice on the craft and ethics of podcasting. And to give more context to the life of Reverend Philip Beech, we hear from Andre Radmall and Azariah France-Williams about their experiences as priests in the community.

The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism and the arts. They are also a space to showcase listener theories about the mystery. If you have a theory about what happened to Mark, you can call 0203 290 0592. Please be aware that your message may be played on the show.

Find our Guests!

Helen Zaltzman: The Allusionist, Answer Me This!

Martin Zaltz Austwick: The Sound of the Ladies, Song by Song, Global Lab, Brain Train

Andre Radmall and Azariah France-Williams: The ShapeShifters

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