In the latest episode of Futureverse, we interview Omar El Akkad, an award-winning Egyptian-Canadian journalist and author.
Omar’s most recent novel, What Strange Paradise, tells the story of those at the core of the refugee crisis. It explores themes including assimilation, identity, inequality, empathy, and the impact of climate change on society. In our conversation, Omar also delves into how his journalism career has influenced his fiction writing and the themes explored in What Strange Paradise.
The full transcript is available by clicking above. This episode is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Highlights
[00:02:29] Life and Career Path
[00:05:30] Influence of Journalism on Literature
[00:09:17] What Strange Paradise
[00:10:52] Hyperindividualism and Existential Problems
[00:18:36] Assimilation and Intersectional Power Dynamics
[00:24:42] Cruelty via Palatable Means
[00:32:26] Empathy and Collective Action
[00:36:49] Omar’s Fiction Recommendations
