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FROM STOCKHOLM TO WORLD LITERATURE - Q&A with Jonas Hassen Khemiri

Berlin, 27 Nov. 2026, 19.00

Jonas Hassen Khemiri became an undisputable presence on the Swedish literary scene from the very beginning. His debut novel Ett öga rött (2003) was immediately received as a landmark publication, hailed by critics and readers alike as the long-awaited voice of a generation, and as a second-generation immigrant, the voice of an entire segment of Swedish society.

Since then, Khemiri has not only firmly established his place in Swedish literature with six novels, seven plays, and numerous other texts, but he has also gained significant international recognition. His trajectory from writing urban Stockholm novels to creating works of global resonance is particularly evident in his latest novel, Systrarna (2023). Set across Europe, North America, and North Africa, the novel is both geographically expansive and globally celebrated. Recently nominated for the National Book Awards, it follows a body of work that has already earned numerous awards and distinctions, including the Prix Médicis Étranger and the Swedish August Prize. These honours underscore the international relevance of both Khemiri’s writing and his broader literary vision. Khemiri has become an author who crosses many borders, not only in terms of language and geography but also through his approach to genre, temporality, and authorship.

As part of an international academic conference in Berlin dedicated to Khemiris work, the Nordeuropa-Institut at Humboldt Universität in Berlin in collaboration with the Swedish Embassy hosts a public reading and video discussion with Johan Hassen Khemiri. 

Felleshus der Nordischen Botschaften
Rauchstr. 1
10787 Berlin
Nordische Botschaften

Free admission
Advance registration is required: From Stockholm to World Literature

Language: English

Letzte Aktualisierung 09 Okt. 2026, 16.51