Siri Hustvedt – How Do We Stay Free?

The internationally acclaimed writer and essayist Siri Hustvedt is coming to Zurich for a major on-stage discussion – on freedom, vulnerability and resilience in times of uncertainty.

At a time when public debate is becoming increasingly polarised and categories are becoming ever more rigid, Siri Hustvedt’s work invites us to remain open to doubt and complexity – and reminds us that reality is far more ambiguous. It is precisely this openness that we need in the face of the major challenges of our time: how do we deal with issues such as artificial intelligence, climate change or populism without resorting to simplistic answers?

An evening with an author who combines existential experience, political awareness and intellectual curiosity like no other.

Siri Hustvedt (born 1955 in Northfield, Minnesota) is one of the leading voices in contemporary American literature. In her novels and essays, she combines narrative power with sharp thinking. She writes about memory and identity, body and mind, art and gender – and about how we see, misjudge and hurt one another. Hustvedt gained international recognition with novels such as *What I Loved*, *The Summer Without Men* and *The Glittering World*. At the same time, through her essays, she has established herself as an author who continually re-explores the boundaries between literature, academia and philosophy – with precision, passion and intellectual alertness.