Storyland: why books matter in divided times, with Elif Shafak

What happens when a story crosses a border? Can it also help us move beyond our own boundaries?

In the first episode of season four of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson speaks with Elif Shafak about belonging, memory and the power of literature in divided times. Elif recalls on how, as a solitary child moving across cultures, she found both freedom and friendship in a place called “Storyland”. As now as an adult reflecting on a polarised world,  she reflects on how stories can take us beyond ourselves, challenge divisions between “us” and “them”, and act as an “antidote to apathy”.

We also hear from Deepa Bhasthi, writer and translator of Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp, winner of the 2025 International Booker Prize. Deepa explores translation as a creative act and asks what is lost when distinctive voices and ways of seeing the world are “smoothed” for English-speaking readers.

Together, Elif and Deepa make the case for stories as a form of connection across languages, cultures and borders. In a world of polarisation and information overload, they ask how literature can keep us curious, compassionate and open to lives different from our own.

Listen to Our World, Connected, the award-winning podcast from the British Council, exploring culture, communication and the power of collaboration in a changing world.🏆 Winner of Gold for Thought Leadership at the 2025 Signal Awards.

Additional Resources:

Elif Shafak website

https://www.elifsafak.com.tr/home

Take 10 to Read campaign

https://www.britishcouncil.org/take-10-global-record-attempt

Our work in literature

https://arts.britishcouncil.org/what-we-do/literature