World Literature Lecture Series

Join us for a series of lectures on authors from around the world, presented by faculty from CU Boulder and Boulder area literati!

This lecture series is FREE and open to everybody! Please register in advance. Refreshments will be served. *Authors will not be present at the lectures in this series*

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Summer Lecture: Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 at 6:30pm

Gabriela Mistral

Gabriela Mistral was a Chilean poet. She was the first Latin American author to receive a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945, "for her lyric poetry which, inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world".

Presented by Leila Gomez, Professor of Women and Gender Studies

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Fall Lecture: Monday, October 23rd at 6:30pm

Ghassan Kanafani

Ghassan Kanafani was a Palestinian author and a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Employing a modernist narrative technique—using flashback and a wide range of narrative voices—he portrayed the dilemmas Palestinians of various backgrounds must face. This talk will focus on Kanafani's relevance for us today, as we continue to grapple with an unfolding catastrophe.

Presented by Karim Mattar, Associate Professor of English

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Winter Lecture: Monday, February 5th at 6:30pm

René Depestre and Frankétienne

Celebrated Haitian writers René Depestre and Frankétienne have explored Haiti’s past, present, and future through innovative novels and striking themes. This talk will focus on the theme of “zombification” and how it permeates their works to describe the ongoing challenges of colonialism.

Presented by Kieran Murphy, Associate Professor of French

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Spring Lecture: Tuesday, April 30th at 6:30pm

Michael Longley

Michael Longley is one of Northern Ireland’s foremost contemporary poets. Known for using classical allusions to cast provocative light on contemporary concerns—including Northern Ireland’s “Troubles”—Longley’s poetry is also marked by sharp observation of the natural world, deft use of technique, and deeply felt emotion.

Presented by David Ferris, Professor of Humanities