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18Mar

How stories can transcend borders and boxes of identity

Hosted by the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity
In-person and online public event (Old Theatre, Old Building)
Wednesday 18 March 2026 6.30pm - 8pm

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. As we face a crucial crossroads in history, 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 and storyteller. She has published 21 books, 13 of which are novels and her books have been translated into 58 languages. Elif holds a PhD in political science and has taught at various universities in Turkey, the US and the UK. Elif is a Fellow and a Vice 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 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 Executive Director of the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity (AFSEE) programme and a professor in the Department of Social Policy at the LSE. She also co-convenes the Politics of Inequality research programme at the International Inequalities Institute.

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.

Join us on campus or register to watch the event online at LSE Live. LSE Live is the home for our live streams, allowing you to tune in and join the global debate at LSE, wherever you are in the world. If you can't attend live, a video will be made available shortly afterwards on LSE's YouTube channel.

Hashtag for this event: #LSEEvents

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