Elif Shafak: using literature as a means to defend human rights
Elif Shafak defends human rights, shares insights into her experience with depression and advocates a different media environment. The award-winning novelist will also participate in this year's Global Media Forum.
As journalists, we usually examine events and current affairs that take place around the world only as observers - sometimes perhaps as analysts or interpreters, if a situation lends itself to our respective areas of expertise. But we largely remain outside the conversation, staying true to the core values of our trade: Objectivity, fairness and impartiality.
Elif Shafak is not a journalist but rather a recognized, award-winning author who has penned 18 books in the last 25 years. Her approach to understanding the world is almost the exact opposite of a journalist's experience.