Topics for this year’s Hall Center for the Humanities Lecture series at Kansas University will range from health care in the United States to Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry.

Four authors, a journalist and a KU film professor will deliver lectures in the series throughout the year.

Authors Lewis Hyde, Chris Abani, Rory Stewart and Mary Oliver will join journalist T.R. Reid and KU professor Kevin Willmott in presenting lectures.

Victor Bailey, director of the Hall Center, said the center tries to attract speakers that appeal to wide variety of audiences.

“As always, we have quite a mix of speakers,” he said.

Each lecture is free and open to the public, and each begins at 7:30 p.m.

Hyde is the author of “The Gift,” and intends to discuss the “cultural commons,” and will lead a discussion on who owns created works, Bailey said. He will speak Aug. 25 at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union.

Reid is known for his coverage of global affairs in the Washington Post and morning news commentaries on National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition.” Bailey said he will discuss the issue of why the United States is the world’s most powerful economic power but is not near the top in terms of the health care of its citizenry. The lecture is scheduled for Oct. 22 at Woodruff Auditorium.

Abani is an African novelist and a professor at the University of California-Riverside. Abani, author of “Graceland” and “The Virgin of Flames,” will speak Nov. 17 at Woodruff Auditorium.

Stewart, who will talk Feb. 16 at Woodruff Auditorium, walked more than 6,000 miles through Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal, and will share his thoughts on the region, Bailey said.

As a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Oliver has written more than 18 collections of poetry, often focusing on nature and creatures of all sorts. Her poems include “American Primitive,” “The Truro Bear and Other Adventures,” “Evidence” and “Red Bird.” She will speak March 23 at the Lied Center.

Willmott is a two-time Sundance festival participant and a filmmaker, playwright, actor, screenwriter and activist. His films include the 2004 “C.S.A. — The Confederate States of America” and his most recent release, “The Only Good Indian.” He will speak April 20 at Woodruff Auditorium.

“I think on the whole we go for a variety of topics,” Bailey said. “I think there’s an audience for poetry readings, and an audience for health care and there’s an audience for Afghanistan, and there may be some overlap, too.”