XVIII Forum for Iberian Studies: the University of Oxford reflects on the line separating reality and fiction

On June 20 and 21, the University of Oxford will host the Forum for Iberian Languages, this year in its 18th edition. This biannual conference dedicated to the study of different languages and cultural expressions of the Iberian Peninsula will bring together 50 experts. The Basque writer Kirmen Uribewill give one of the keynote speeches.

On June 20 and 21, the University of Oxford will host the Forum for Iberian Languages, this year in its 18th edition. This biannual conference dedicated to the study of different languages and cultural expressions of the Iberian Peninsula will bring together 50 experts. The Basque writer Kirmen Uribe will give one of the keynote speeches.

This conference aims to explore the communicating vessels between reality and fiction in the cultural productions of the Iberian Peninsula across time, from the era of medieval chronicles to the digital age. On the one hand, a cultural or artistic representation can acquire a life of its own and become an entity located between reality and fiction, in the form of a literary character, legend or historical discourse. On the other hand, reality can be reinterpreted with an objective in mind, be it political, social or cultural in nature. The case of political propaganda or the recent phenomenon of post-truth are an example of this.

In the postmodern era reality is characterised by being an accumulation of perspectives and interpretations that blends true facts with fiction. This year’s conference aims to explore the communicating vessels between the two.

To address the issue from a broad perspective, the conference will have an interdisciplinary approach, featuring specialists in various historical periods and cultural disciplines including literature, painting, comics, film and theatre.

Among the keynote speakers, Basque writer Kirmen Uribe will give a talk titled “¿Y tú, qué quieres saber de todo eso? Ficción, veracidad y poética de la transparencia” (And you, what do you want to know about all of this? Fiction, truth and the poetics of transparency). In addition to the keynote speakers, the conference will include a series of shorter talks by invited experts and scholars, mainly from the university realm. Iker Arranz, reader of Basque language and culture at the University of California, will be one of them.

The Forum for Iberian Studies is supported in part by the Etxepare Basque Institute.