Speaker
Winny Ang
(University of Antwerp)
Description
How can stories support our wellbeing and mental health? As Ali Smith writes: “Books mean all possibilities, they mean moving out of yourself, losing yourself, dying of thirst and living to your full.” Stories help us navigate our social and emotional worlds by transforming the continuum of lived events into a narrative—sometimes coherent, sometimes fragmented or even contradictory—reflecting life’s peaks and valleys. Making meaning of the world is a fundamental part of being human. It allows us to explore different spaces of belonging. In this presentation, I will reflect on my work on identity, trauma, resilience, and imagination, focusing on the fascinating intersections between literature and mental health.