Postsoviet Cosmopolis – Constructing Postsoviet Childhood with Volha Hapeyeva and Lea Ypi [participates remotely]

The first novel »Camel Travel« by the well-known Belarusian poet is about childhood and youth in the final stages of the Soviet Union. The protagonist grows up in a period of political upheaval, in which even everyday life can only be mastered with ingenuity and improvisational talent. »Hapeyeva is a boundary-crossing word wizard, which is also evident in this book, in which words, tone, rhythm, and precise observations create an addictive appeal« [Der Standard].

Albania 1989: In »Free: Coming of Age at the End of History«, political scientist Lea Ypi recounts growing up in an isolated country. The economy of scarcity, the secret police, and the proletariat determined life. »Ypi succeeds in telling her childhood story in such a way that the reader finds their own experiences reflected in those of the author. At the same time, she leaves no doubt about the differences, the extent of humiliation and suffering that this period meant for Albanians« [neues deutschland].

Moderation: Tuesday Bhambry
Language: English, German

A cooperation with the Cluster of Excellence »Temporal Communities: Doing Literature in a Global Perspective« at Freie Universität Berlin

Remaining tickets may be available at the box office.