Program

The stark realities of barbed wire borders cannot always divide peoples, cultures, and identities. A session that examines the experiences of displacement and the contradictions and binaries of cultural and gender identity. In conversation with journalist Pragya Tiwari, author of Good Citizens Need Not Fear Maria Reva, and Afghan singer and actress Mozhdah Jamalzadah examine vulnerabilities and promises for the future.

Jael Richardson's debut novel, Gutter Child, is a fictional heart-wrenching account of a dystopian realm drawing from the brutal realities of colonial history. A nation divided between the privileged Mainland and the policed Gutter, the novel follows a girl's journey through this stratified society and her attempts to shape her own destiny and defy the system. In conversation with Deepanjana Pal, Richardson explores the nuances of injustice, power and the essence of belonging.

Identities morph and change with borders and geographies. How do diasporic writers address displacement-driven themes of rootlessness, marginalization, fragmentation, alienation, nostalgia, assimilation, adaptation, multiculturalism, and more in their work? A fascinating session on the locational and cultural identities of diasporic writers and the ways in which this blends into their storytelling and quest for belonging.

"Tawâw" literally translates to "come in, you’re welcome, there’s room”. The word and its translation is the essence of Shane M Chartrand’s latest work tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine. Along with co-author Jennifer Cockrall-King, Chartrand explores the influence of culture, identity, people and stories on his culinary career. In a book that combines recipes, interviews and photographs, they tackle the nuances of creating a progressive indigenous cuisine rooted in ancient heritage while employing modern culinary techniques and knowledge. Madhushree Ghosh’s Khabaar: An Immigrant Journey of Food, Memory and Family deconstructs the way South Asian chefs maintain the elusive ties to their homelands while innovating traditional recipes in foreign kitchens. Together, in this session, these three insightful writers reflect on the profound ability of food cultures to evolve while staying connected with the history of communities and cultures.