Free The Word Talk!: I am Not My Country: (Anti-)nationalism, Borders & Identity

This debate addresses the problems associated with positioning poets as 'national laureates'.

A diversity of poets and leading thinkers discuss the impacts and potential pressures of aligning poetry and nationhood. Should poets be expected to adopt the mantle of national representation and does this make for creative freedom or limitation? How do borders inform our perspective on poetry as readers?

This session also aims to probe the concepts of nationalism / antinationalism and examine the tensions between public and private in contemporary poetry.

Speakers - John Kinsella, Jo Shapcott, Kapka Kassabova, Nikola Madzirov, Shailja Patel, Imtiaz Dharker

Chair - Sir Andrew Motion, Former Poet Laureate

In partnership with PEN International