MIT Press news

The MIT Press announces sponsorship of 2019 Oxford Literary Festival

The MIT Press is proud to announce that it will be sponsoring the American Literature and Culture program at the 2019 Oxford Literary Festival. The MIT Press will be the first university press sponsor to partner with the festival in this way, taking over the role after it was held by Arizona State University for almost a decade.

“We are delighted to welcome MIT Press as our sponsor and partner for our American programme of speakers,” said Festival Director Sally Dunsmore. “Each year the MIT Press publishes an impressive list of authors—writers often not published elsewhere and whose original thinking and expertise we will showcase at this year’s festival. Our partnership will enhance the international flavour of the FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival.”

The festival welcomes thinkers and writers from across the globe to the city of Oxford for a week of creative and literary engagement, and the American Literature and Culture program exists specifically to celebrate the exceptional contribution of the United States of America to world literature and culture. Each year the festival assembles distinguished novelists, writers and speakers to lecture, debate and discuss the history, current standing and possible evolution of American letters and society. As part of the partnership, the MIT Press will be bringing seven authors over from North America to discuss topics as diverse as cybersecurity, the FBI and climate politics. The program weekend will also include the Festival American Dinner held in the 14th-century great hall of New College, the oldest in Oxford or Cambridge.

Director of the MIT Press Amy Brand said, “The Oxford Literary Festival is an unparalleled celebration of the written word and we are honored to join with the Festival in support of the American Literature and Culture Program. The MIT Press has a robust international publishing program and we are proud to bring so many of our wonderful authors to Oxford this year.”

The MIT Press authors taking part in the festival are:

  • Cass Sunstein, author of How Change Happens. This newest titles from the advisor to the Obama administration and bestselling author of Nudgeexplores the different ways that social change happens, from unleashing to nudging to social cascades.