The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts is set to host a pivotal conversation featuring prominent thinkers Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 7 PM. The event, part of the "Chan Centre Presents" series, will delve into the critical themes of their forthcoming book, END TIMES FASCISM – And the Fight for the Living World, within the Chan Shun Concert Hall.

The discussion will explore the growing narrative of inevitable ecological collapse and societal breakdown, examining how this fatalism is influencing a worldview where elites prioritize personal survival over collective responsibility. Klein and Taylor will trace how anxieties about the future are being leveraged to perpetuate inequality, exclusion, and authoritarianism, from insulated enclaves to fantasies of space colonization.

Challenging the pervasive belief in impending doom, the authors will offer a vital framework for understanding the current moment and strategies to combat it. They advocate for rejecting apocalyptic thinking, defending human dignity, and fostering futures grounded in collective care, solidarity, and the belief in the possibility of positive change.

Naomi Klein is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author of works such as Doppelganger, No Logo, and The Shock Doctrine. She is also the founding Co-Director of the Centre for Climate Justice and an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Astra Taylor is an acclaimed writer, activist, and documentarian, and a co-founder of the Debt Collective. Her notable works include The People’s Platform, which received the American Book Award; Democracy May Not Exist, but We’ll Miss It When It’s Gone; and The Age of Insecurity.

This essential event is co-presented by the UBC Centre for Climate Justice and Knopf Canada. Tickets are priced at $35.00 for the general public and $15.00 for students with valid identification.

General ticket sales will commence on June 5 at 12 PM.