“Hoşgeldiniz Orhan Bey. Roma’dan selamlar,” a Turkish student began. Orhan Pamuk was surprised to hear Turkish spoken from an Italian class. Then she translated, “Welcome, Mr. Orhan. Greetings from Rome!”.
With thin-rimmed glasses, a white shirt, and a full bookshelf behind him, the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature appeared on the screen in front of the curious and eager students of the Master in Journalism and Multimedia Communication at LUISS Guido Carli. Pamuk joined the meeting from Columbia University, where he is teaching Writing and Comparative Literature.
After an introduction from the journalist and professor Giorgio Casadio, the aspiring journalists asked Pamuk some critical questions. The conversation broadened from politics to sociology, to history and culture. The journalist and director of the school of journalism Gianni Riotta also intervened and thanked the Nobel Prize for the “wonderful” and “really moved seminar”, hoping for further collaborations in the future.
The interview opened with a focus on the upcoming U.S. presidential election on November 5: “Would it be better for Turkey and the world if the Republicans or Democrats win?” From his studio at Columbia University, Pamuk shared his direct observations on the political atmosphere, exploring both doubts and hopes.
Not only is the political tension palpable in the United States, but it also has a significant impact on the sociological and cultural aspects of the country. This is especially important for writers. “There are times when you can do an Émile Zola and speak out to the world, and times when you can’t make a difference”, said one of the young interviewers, quoting Pamuk from a past interview. This sparked an important conversation about the role of intellectuals in society, particularly in relation to censorship, which Pamuk has personally encountered. He described how censorship has influenced his writing, expressing in heartfelt terms the journey of a man who has had to navigate the limits placed on his personal view of the world.
Recognized as one of the leading contemporary Turkish authors, as well as the country’s most widely read writer—with over thirteen million copies of his novels sold and translated into more than sixty languages—Pamuk’s work bridges reality and the fantasy world. His novels are known for dense, intricate synopses featuring complex, often unsettling characters, and unexpected twists, centering on the challenging themes of the historical East-West divide and the resulting identity confusion and disorientation in Turkish society, both past and present. The novelist (Istanbul, June 7, 1952) also studied Journalism back in the days, in his country, Turkyïe. In 2006, he became the first Turkish author to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, awarded with the following citation: “In seeking the melancholic soul of his native city, he has discovered new symbols for the clash and interlacing of cultures”.
The talk then turned to international issues, looking at current conflicts and divisions around the world. The young journalists asked if it is still possible to write novels with a sense of wonder in a world bombarded by news, underlying the difficulty of writing while terrible events—sometimes next to you—are occurring. Pamuk explored the connection between reality and literature, as well as the relationship between politics, wars, and the role of the writer.
The contribution of memory and history in shaping cultural identity was another important topic. “Do people really remember the past, or are they still falling into the same old traps?” one student asked. A question that felt crucial in a time marked by crises, the return of populism, and daily news of wars. Then the discussion shifted to spirituality and its connection to art: “Do you believe art still holds its spiritual power today?”
Literature was central to the conversation. From Calvino to Hemingway, Pamuk talked about key changes in literary history and the strong connection between literature and journalism. Both Hemingway and Pamuk are writers and journalists, a combination that shapes how a novelist perceives the world and creates a bridge between storytelling and reporting.
A thunderous applause followed the end of the interview, filled with admiration and emotion. Pamuk’s words will always be etched in the aspiring journalists’ minds who will cherish this unique experience.
