Mahssa Behdjatpour in Braunschweig: Reading about racism and health
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Mahssa Behdjatpour reads about racism, health, and empowerment
On November 5, 2026, BLAU-WAL kultur e.V. in Braunschweig will become the venue for a poignant author encounter: Mahssa Behdjatpour reads from her autoethnographic book You don't laugh anymore – How racism makes you sick. The event combines literary reading, personal experience, and scientific perspectives on the health effects of discrimination.
A personal story with societal significance
Mahssa Behdjatpour, born in 1992 in Hanover to politically persecuted Iranian parents, addresses experiences of racism and social exclusion in her book. From childhood through school to her studies, she traces how racist attributions shape identity, self-perception, and personal well-being.
The author studied health sciences in the Netherlands and Germany and is pursuing a PhD in Public Health. Her literary work lies at the intersection of autoethnography, health research, and cultural self-empowerment. This connection gives the book its special literary quality: Behdjatpour makes structural contexts visible without losing sight of individual experience.
Literature as a voice against the invisible
The style of the book moves between autobiographical report, social analysis, and scientifically grounded reflection. Behdjatpour explores how everyday and structural racism affects body and psyche and what traces discrimination leaves in the lives of affected individuals.
At the same time, the focus is on the question of what role art, writing, and language can play in empowerment processes. The reading thus opens a cultural discourse on health, belonging, and the necessity of discrimination-sensitive structures. The format is aimed at literature enthusiasts as well as people from education, healthcare, science, and civil society.
Musical introduction and shared discussion
The evening begins with a musical interlude by Joey and Malak from If a bird e.V. After the reading, a Q&A is planned. This allows the audience room for questions, exchange, and a deepened discussion about the connections between racism, mental health, and societal responsibility.
Conclusion: A literary experience with societal impact
This reading promises a concentrated and moving reading atmosphere: a clear voice, personal narratives, and professional context come together with music and open dialogue. Those who experience literature as a space for insight, self-empowerment, and social change will find an important evening at BLAU-WAL kultur e.V. Registration can be made at antidiskriminierung@vhs-bs.de.
Official channels of Mahssa Behdjatpour:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- Website: no official profile found
- Publisher: https://rotpunktverlag.ch/autoren/mahssa-behdjatpour
