John Bessai, PhD is a scholar specializing in Canadian history, media studies, and environmental communication. His research focuses on the intersections of media, public discourse, and cultural policy, particularly emphasizing the National Film Board of Canada (NFBC) and its role in shaping democratic engagement through storytelling.
His doctoral dissertation, Art as a Public Service: The NationalFilm Board of Canada’s Role in Shaping Democratic Dialogues and Societal Transformation, examines the NFBC’s contributions to public engagement, Indigenous representation, and digital media innovation.
In addition to his academic work, Bessai has an extensive background in media production. He is the creator and producer of Green Heroes, a TV and web series aired on TVO that integrates environmental storytelling with interactive digital media. His previous projects include The Paul Kane Interactive Project, a museum-based digital storytelling initiative for the Royal Ontario Museum. His research and creative practice explore documentary filmmaking, transmedia narratives, and the role of publicly funded storytelling in democratic discourse.
Bessai has presented his research at leading international conferences, including James Madison University’s 15th Annual AAAD Interdisciplinary Conference, the Global New Voices Conference in London, the Northeast Conference on British Studies at Amherst College, and the Territory, Tension, and Taboo: Canada in Crisis conference at the University of Bremen. He has also contributed to discussions on Canadian cultural narratives, digital democracy, and media arts scholarship at institutions such as Yale University, Carleton University, San Francisco State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
His work has been published in Scaffold: The Journal of Comparative Studies in Literature, Art, and Culture and H-Net Reviews, with forthcoming articles in Literature, Critique, and Empire Today, Human Rights Education Review, Journal of Cultural Policy and Global Engagement, and Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies.
Committed to interdisciplinary research and public scholarship, Bessai continues developing courses integrating critical media analysis, digital storytelling, and public engagement. He is actively pursuing new academic opportunities and hopes to secure a tenure-track position.
John Bessai 