How stories can transcend borders and boxes of identity
By drawing upon multiple disciplines and weaving these threads into the broader practice of literary arts, the Turkish-British writer Elif Shafak offers an inspirational talk about our world today, the stories that bring us together, and the silences that keep us apart.
For a long time, philosophers and artists have asked the question: how can we balance vita activa (the active life) and vita contemplativa (the contemplative life)? Now an additional challenge is added to the equation: vita apathetica (life of apathy/life without passions). Too much information causes an emotional and intellectual fatigue, exacerbating this state of apathy—numbness, indifference. Literature is the antidote to this state. In this AFSEE Keynote Lecture, Elif Shafak, joined by discussant Lily Jamaludin, will reflect on what literature and art, more specifically the art of storytelling, can offer us at this moment.
Meet our speakers and chair
Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist, storyteller and an advocate for women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and freedom of expression. She has published 21 books, 13 of which are novels, and her books have been translated to 58 languages. Elif holds a PhD in political science and has taught at various universities in Turkey, the US and the UK. Elif is also a Fellow and President of the Royal Society of Literature and has been chosen among BBC’s 100 most inspiring and influential women.
Lily Jamaludin is a writer, campaigner, and an Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity. As a writer, Lily is passionate about the potential of creative writing as a tool for social change. She won the Mercedes-Benz Creative Excellence award in 2017 for her short play Our Compliance in the Short+Sweet Malaysia theatre festival and was featured as an Emerging Writer in the 2018 George Town Literary Festival.
Armine Ishkanian (@Armish15) is the Executive Director of the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity (AFSEE) programme and a professor in the Department of Social Policy at LSE. Her research examines the relationship between civil society, democracy, development, and social transformation.
More about this event
Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity (@AFSEE_LSE) is a fellowship programme for activists, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners who believe inequality can be defeated. We are building a catalytic values-led global community of people who are committed to using collective leadership to work towards social and economic justice for all.
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