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The University of Oxford is hosting today and tomorrow, June 20-21, its “Forum for Iberian Studies,” that is celebrating its 18^th edition this year.  This biannual conference is dedicated to the study of different languages and cultural expressions from the Iberian Peninsula gathering more than 50 experts. The Basque writer, Kirmen Uribe, will give one of the main talks, according to the Etxepare Basque Institute who is collaborating in the event.

Oxford, England. The Forum for Iberian Studies is revolving this year around the concepts of reality and fiction, and its representation in cultural productions from the Iberian Peninsula over time, from the time 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, reality can be reinterpreted with an objective in mind, be it political, social, or culture in nature.  The case of political propaganda or the recent phenomenon of post-truth are an example of this.

In the post-modern era, reality is characterized by an accumulation of perspectives and interpretations that combine real events with elements of fiction, and this year’s edition seeks to explore the communicating vessels between them.

In order to address the issue from a broad perspective, the conference will have an interdisciplinary focus and will feature specialties in various historical periods and cultural disciplines that include literature, painting, comics, film and theater.

Basque writer, Kirmen Uribe, figures among the main speakers and he will give a talk entitled, “And you, what do you want to know about it all? Fiction, Veracity and Poetics of Transparency.” The main presentations are complemented by a long series of brief interventions by invited specialists and academics, coming largely from the university world.  Iker Arranz, Basque Language and Culture Lecturer at the University of California, Santa Barbara will be one of them.

-Here is the program (pdf)