‘Literary Journalism gives a voice to the silenced’: An Interview with John S. Bak
Abstract
Is it possible to find a single and satisfactory definition of Literary Journalism throughout the world that would suit every writer who dabbles in the genre, convince every editor who publishes it and please every scholar who studies it? This is the question that has preoccuped John S. Bak in his research in the field. One of the founders of the International Association for Literary Journalism Studies (IALJS), Bak believes that every work which considers itself to be Literary Journalism necessarily bears within its very DNA the particular history, culture and society from whence it came. In this interview, conducted via Skype, he talks about the foundation, mission and work of IALJS, the global efforts of Literary Journalism to legitimize itself, and the role the internet and new digital platforms can have in contributing to its success.