Storytelling must prevail in a world in which democracy is under threat
The attack on Salman Rushdie was not an isolated incident, but connected to the political and cultural changes we are living through.
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Elif Shafak
Elif Shafak is a writer, public speaker, political scientist and activist. Her work includes the novels Three Daughters of Eve (2016) and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World (2019).
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How Brexit changed us: The saga broke a creaking socio-political system
The calmness that characterised a good deal of public debate in this country is gone.
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Notes on a crisis: As the numbers rise, how do we counteract the risk of numbness and apathy?
Paradoxically, amid so much suffering and hurt, grief has become less visible than ever.
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Elif Shafak’s Diary: Cutting my own hair, what bonsai trees tell us about the world, and the dark side of digital
As much as I have missed live festivals, there are things about holding digital events during the Covid crisis…
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The world to come: The old world is gone
Covid-19 has changed everything. If we choose the wrong path not only will we suffer the consequences, but so too…
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Erasing histories: why Turkey’s Hagia Sophia should remain a museum
President Erdogan’s decision to reconvert the building into a mosque is a further move against religious pluralism.
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Leïla Slimani’s Sex and Lies: a brave and honest look at the lives of Moroccan women
The French-Moroccan novelist Leïla Slimani’s first work of non-fiction is composed of a series of interviews with Moroccan women…
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What we want: to prioritise tackling inequality
After a recent panel on “politics and literature”, a young man in the audience stood up and said, “Can…
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Britain’s image is changing: in Europe they no longer recognise us
Coming from Turkey, I know that the ballot box is not enough to sustain a democracy.
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