Bidisha – författare

In this instalment of the FUTURESseries, journalist and broadcaster Bidisha uses her personal journey though books, TV and film to trace seismic changes in the way we engage with culture, and what we consider to be serious art

Through the voices of those who live it, Beyond the Wall unveils the everyday realities of occupation, resilience, and the fight for dignity in Palestine.Their voices come from Bethlehem and Hebron. You can hear them from Jerusalem to Nazareth, and witness their protests in Gaza and Ramallah. From the refugee camps in the West Bank, you can hear the voices of the Palestinian people call out to demand self-determination and a better quality of life. But outside of Israel and the occupied territories, these individual voices are rarely heard—until now.In Beyond the Wall: Writing a Path through Palestine, internationally renowned feminist critic and writer Bidisha collects the testimonies of an occupied people—ordinary citizens, activists, and children—alongside those of international aid workers and foreign visitors for a revelatory look at a population on the margins.Called “beautifully belligerent, [and] fiercely intelligent” by The Independent and a “dazzlingly creative writer” by the London Times, Bidisha amplifies the voices of the Palestinian people in this book and lends them her own considerable strength.

Mainstream brings thirty authors in from the margins to occupy centre-page. Queer storytellers. Working class wordsmiths. Chroniclers of colour. Writers whose life experiences give unique perspectives on universal challenges, whose voices must be heard. And read.‘In these locked down and unfocused times the short story is a much needed respite from the current Covid-19 bleakness. With Mainstream, Inkandescent has gathered together a wonderful collection of fascinating and eclectic stories. Sad, funny, horrifying and demystifying, the unique voices within take us on an open minded journey around the world. Loved it.’ — KATHY BURKE‘A riveting collection of stories, deftly articulated. Every voice entirely captivating: page to page, tale to tale. These are stories told with real heart from writers emerging from the margins in style.’ — ASHLEY HICKSON-LOVENCE, author of The 392 and Your ShowEmerging writers are placed alongside established authors. Contributors are: Aisha Phoenix, Alex Hopkins, Bidisha, Chris Simpson, DJ Connell, Elizabeth Baines, Gaylene Gould, Giselle Leeb, Golnoosh Nour, Hedy Hume, Iqbal Hussain, Jonathan Kemp, Julia Bell, Juliet Jacques, Justin David, Kathy Hoyle, Keith Jarrett, Kerry Hudson, Kit de Waal, Lisa Goldman, Lui Sit, Nathan Evans, Neil Bartlett, Neil Lawrence, Neil McKenna, Ollie Charles, Padrika Tarrant, Paul McVeigh, Philip Ridley, Polis Loizou.

Their voices come from Bethlehem and Hebron. You can hear them from Jerusalem to Nazareth, and witness their protests in Gaza and Ramallah. From the refugee camps in the West Bank, you can hear the voices of the Palestinian people call out to demand self-determination and a better quality of life. But outside of Israel and the occupied territories, these individual voices have rarely been heard - until now. In "Beyond the Wall: Writing a Path through Palestine", internationally renowned feminist critic and writer Bidisha collects the testimonies of an occupied people - ordinary citizens, activists, children - alongside those of international aid workers and foreign visitors for a revelatory look at a population on the margins. Called "beautifully belligerent, [and] fiercely intelligent" by the "Independent" and a "dazzlingly creative writer" by the "Times", Bidisha amplifies the voices of the Palestinian people in this book and lends to them her own considerable strength.

Asylum and Exile is the result of several months of personal outreach to refugees and asylum seekers that goes behind the headlines to reveal the humanity, tragedy, and bravery of the individuals who have left everything behind to seek sanctuary from violence in the UK. Bidisha offers moving stories of refugees who have fled war, violent persecution, or civil unrest in countries as diverse as Cameroon, Iran, Syria, Somalia, Malawi, Burundi, the Congo, and Sierra Leone. Some of the individuals have been in the UK for a few months, others for more than a decade. Bidisha chronicles their experiences, revealing that though many used to be mathematicians, composers, criminologists, accountants, and teachers, in England, without money and papers authorizing them to work, they must work illegally as cleaners, factory workers, dishwashers, health care assistants, and at other unstable, unseen, underpaid, and grueling jobs. Their London life is one of trying to survive on five pounds a day, of interminable bus journeys across the capital, appointments with legal aid workers, and reliance on near-strangers to get a foothold with little or no support.Despite this, as Bidisha shows, their unerring humor, vivacity, talent, and will to survive is a testament to the blazing resilience of the human spirit.