Decisions about which titles are deemed to be part of the literary canon are not neutral. Canonical literature reflects power structures. Curated by Dr Maha El Hissy, the literature programme Vorzeichen endeavoured to practice canon critique through its focus on reading as a means for revealing and dismantling power structures. In doing so, emphasis is shifted not only onto whom or what we read, but also how we do so. Reading practices that centre empathy, engagement, activism, and solidarity are also expressions of one’s own politics.

Vorzeichen aimed to provide impulses that disrupt the idea of a standardised, closed corpus of texts and voices. Through online readings and talks, as well as Instagram book reviews, the series endeavoured to open up spaces for texts and readers, different ways of reading, and new perspectives on literature. All events were broadcast online and are now available as recordings. The literature programme was funded by the Goethe-Institut and managed by Dr Christiane Lahusen, Mareike Wittler and Diana Kral.

Vorzeichen

Communications and editorial lead

(October 2023 - December 2024)

In January 2022, I was promoted to the Goethe-Institut’s DigiLab to oversee the creation and distribution of digital content and projects for Northwest Europe. One of the digital literature projects developed by the DigiLab was Vorzeichen. Although the majority of events were hosted virtually from Denmark, the Goethe-Institut London had the largest Instagram following in the region. To reach wider audiences, we chose this as the main distribution channel to host Instagram takeovers, share book reviews, and promote events.

As the manager of the Goethe-Institut London’s social media platforms, I was responsible for editing, storing and publishing all digital content, as well as translating German texts into English, preparing transcripts, and proofreading English-language copy. In the run-up to events, I supported internal and external stakeholders in preparing digital marketing strategies and used data tools, such as Webtrekk, to analyse engagement data and produce reports that informed campaign decisions and audience targeting.