History, philosophy, and radical art.
Discover carefully curated public lectures, author talks, debates and intellectual events in Berlin, Germany — selected by The Mindful City editorial team.
Last updated: September 24, 2026
Naomi Klein and Saskia Sassen · Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) · September 25, 2026
Journalist-author Naomi Klein and sociologist Saskia Sassen discuss intersections between climate crisis, urban transformation, and social justice. The joint talk is followed by a …
Zadie Smith · Literaturhaus Berlin · September 25, 2026
Zadie Smith reads from her latest essays and speaks about identity, cultural observation, and forms of public writing. The program closes with a conversation with a Berlin-based cr…
Achille Mbembe · Haus der Kulturen der Welt · September 25, 2026
Achille Mbembe discusses decolonial thought, the politics of memory, and prospects for transnational solidarity in the 21st century. The lecture will be followed by a panel discuss…
Olga Tokarczuk · Berliner Festspiele / Literaturfestival Berlin · September 25, 2026
Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk reads from her recent work and discusses narrative strategies for representing migration and displacement. The session explores memory, borderlands, a…
Juli Zeh · Literaturhaus Berlin · September 25, 2026
Juli Zeh discusses the relationship between law, literature, and civic responsibility, followed by a reading from her recent novel. The evening closes with an audience Q&A.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie · Berliner Festspiele / Literaturfestival Berlin · September 25, 2026
A keynote reading and conversation with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie presenting new essays and themes from her forthcoming work. The session will explore migration, language, and story…
Naomi Klein · Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) · September 25, 2026
Naomi Klein presents her latest thinking on climate politics, corporate power, and grassroots resistance movements. The talk is followed by a panel discussion with local activists …
David Olusoga · Deutsches Historisches Museum · September 25, 2026
Historian David Olusoga examines empire, memory, and the politics of historical representation in museums and public spaces. The lecture will close with a moderated discussion on d…
Hans-Ulrich Obrist · Haus der Kulturen der Welt · September 25, 2026
Curator Hans-Ulrich Obrist discusses the role of curatorial practice in shaping contemporary cultural and political conversations. The event considers collaboration, archival pract…
Elif Shafak · Literaturhaus Berlin · September 25, 2026
Novelist Elif Shafak explores the intersections of identity, exile, and public debate in contemporary fiction through a reading and conversation. The event includes questions from …
Homi K. Bhabha; Navid Kermani; Carolin Emcke · Berliner Festspiele — Literaturfestival Berlin · September 25, 2026
Leading thinkers examine how postcolonial theory reshapes contemporary cultural and political debates. The panel will consider migration, memory, and the role of literature in publ…
Carolin Emcke · Freie Universität Berlin · September 25, 2026
Journalist and author Carolin Emcke discusses language, violence, and the ethics of witnessing in contemporary media. The event is a public lecture with time for audience questions…
Elif Shafak · Berliner Festspiele / Literaturfestival Berlin · September 25, 2026
Elif Shafak reads from her latest work and discusses migration, memory, and cultural hybridity in modern fiction. The talk will be followed by a moderated conversation with questio…
Angela Davis · Literaturhaus Berlin · September 25, 2026
Angela Davis reflects on political resistance, abolitionist thought, and the cultural work of hope in contemporary movements. The event combines a lecture with audience interaction…
Margaret Atwood · Berliner Festspiele / Literaturfestival Berlin · September 26, 2026
A keynote reading by Margaret Atwood followed by a moderated audience Q&A exploring her latest novel and themes of climate and justice. Part of the Literaturfestival Berlin opening…
Asghar Farhadi, Maren Ade (panelists); moderated by Susanne Regina Meures · Haus der Kulturen der Welt (co-organised with Berlinale Talents) · September 26, 2026
A Berlinale Talents panel brings leading filmmakers together to discuss representation of migration and memory in contemporary cinema. Panelists examine aesthetic strategies and et…
Joseph E. Stiglitz · Berliner Festspiele / Literaturfestival Berlin · September 26, 2026
Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz examines economic inequality in the global era and its implications for European policy. He outlines policy responses and opens the floor to debat…
Margaret Atwood · Berliner Festspiele / Literaturfestival Berlin · September 26, 2026
Margaret Atwood joins a panel of international novelists to discuss the responsibilities of fiction in times of political upheaval. The discussion will reflect on dystopia, activis…
Zadie Smith · Berliner Festspiele / Literaturfestival Berlin · September 27, 2026
Zadie Smith presents selections from her latest novel and discusses the craft of contemporary fiction. The session closes with a moderated Q&A about multiculturalism and urban life…
Han Kang · Berliner Festspiele / Literaturfestival Berlin · September 27, 2026
Nobel laureate Han Kang gives a closing reading and reflects on language, trauma, and the limits of representation. The event closes the festival with a moderated discussion and bo…