Fiction and Lies

The Fourth International Congress of the Association for Studies in Fiction and Fictionality / Société Internationale des Recherches sur la Fiction et la Fictionnalité (ASIFF/SIRF)

 

 

PROGRAMME INFORMATION

This three-day international conference will explore the relationship between fiction and lies from a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives, including philosophy, literary history and theory, narratology, film and media studies, psychology and cognitive science.

The conference will take place from 10-12 June 2026, each day from 9.00 to 17.30.

Keynote addresses:

10 June 2026: Eileen John (Philosophy, University of Warwick), ‘Reasons for Being Loose with the Truth’

11 June 2026: Pierre Bayard (Literature, Université Paris 8 - Saint-Denis), ‘Comment parler de sujets auxquels on ne connaît rien ?’ [‘How to talk about subjects you know nothing about’]

The full programme is avaible here : (https://fictionstudies.org/upload/medias/Fiction%20and%20Lies%20%E2%80%94%20ASIFF%202026%20Programme%20(A5%20booklet).pdf)

 

LOCATION

University of Edinburgh, Pollock Estate (map available here: https://www.uoecollection.com/conferences-events/venue-hubs/pollock-estate/)

 

REGISTRATION (until 25 May 2026)

Register at this link: https://www.epay.ed.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/college-of-humanities-and-social-science/school-of-philosophy-psychology-and-language-sciences/fiction-lies-4th-international-congress-of-the-association-for-studies-in-fiction-fictionality

 

Fees: £50 for staff, £15 for students. The fee includes lunch on all three days.

 

Funding from the Scots Philosophical Association means that staff (including emeritus) and students from Scottish universities attending the conference can have their fees waived. Please email fictionlies2026@gmail.com from your institutional address to request a password before registering.

 

All other delegates must be members of ASIFF/SIRFF. If you are not yet a member, please sign up on this website by clicking ‘The Association’ > ‘Membership’. Membership status will be checked against registration.

 

CONFERENCE DINNER

 

There will be a conference dinner at 7pm on Thursday, 11 June 2026, at Twenty Princes Street in the Hotel Indigo (https://twentyprincesstreet.co.uk/). The cost is £50 per person for a three-course meal with wine.

 

Places are limited and speakers will get priority. If you would like to attend the dinner, please send an email to fictionlies2026@gmail.com with the subject line ‘Dinner’. If places are available you will receive a link for payment. Booking will close 30 May 2026.

 

ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION

 

Unfortunately there is no availability in the Pollock Halls residences near the conference. Here are some options to consider, but websites like Booking.com or Expedia will have others:

 

-Other student housing around the city -- this is likely to be the least expensive option. Sites like Booking.com include student residences available over the summer, e.g. from companies like 'For Students Only' and 'Destiny Student'.

 

-Hotels: Premier Inn (which can be booked only through their own website) and Leonardo Hotels are reasonably priced chains. The Premier Inn Edinburgh Central (Lauriston Place) is the one closest to the conference. The Leonardo Royal Hotel and the Leonardo Hotel Edinburgh City are at a similar distance.

 

-Airbnb: There may be flats as well as individual rooms available.