At the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Tuzla on the 13th of September 2023., the promotion of the book by writer Leyla Karaça entitled “Heaven in Your Heart” and the panel discussion “Spaces for Women in Literature” were held. Panelists, prof. Anisa Avdagić Ph.D. and prof. Melinda Botalić Ph.D. spoke about their impressions of the novel, which follows the spiritual journey of the main character Dilruba, who questions her existence through dreams and hallucinations and goes through different stages on the way to come to the knowledge of God.
The author addressed the audience via video message and talked about the origin and main motives of the novel, as well as the difficulties faced by male and female writers in Turkey. In the introductory part of the event, the panelists analyzed how this novel opens up possibilities for other readings and is a “call” not to give up on yourself, on that sky of love in your heart…however, you interpret it – or as an example Sufi literature or as a self-help book.
The panelists pointed out the challenges faced by women when publishing literary works both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Turkey. It is interesting that both Leyla Karaça, and our panelists pointed out that women and men face problems almost equally.
It was concluded that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is a lack of research systematically dealing with women’s literature, and that well-known works by Bosnian-Herzegovinian authors are not found in anthologies, which gives a false picture of the literary production of female authors. It was also concluded that spaces for women in literature are made possible by editors, publishers, proofreaders, translators, promoters, readers… A shining example is certainly the publishing program Shura Publikacija, whose basic orientation is the establishment of a cultural conceptual bridge between Croatia and the Balkans, with the Mediterranean and Europe. The reason for this orientation is the historically conditioned cultural-political discontinuity, which results in difficulties in understanding cultures.
The panel was moderated by prof. Nihada Delibegović Džanić Ph.D.
