There is no critical consensus regarding the term autofiction. Some see it as describing any novel with autobiographical elements, others apply more restrictive definitions. This two-day conference seeks to bring together different theoretical approaches to autofiction, to explore the validity of the concept and to think about how different definitions and traditions influence our reading of works at the intersection of fiction and autobiography. The discussion thus far has been taking place mainly in Francophone, German, Scandinavian, and Anglophone theory and with reference to case studies from these contexts. In this conference we intend to consider these traditions in comparison and crucially to broaden the discussion to other languages and geo-political areas. By comparing diverse theoretical approaches and drawing on case studies from across Africa, Asia, Europe and North and South America, we will explore how autofictional texts negotiate and challenge concepts of gender, race, and cultural and national identity. Through this discussion, we aim to generate a closer engagement with the term ‘autofiction’ itself, reflecting on different definitions, potential alternatives and its usefulness as a theoretical concept.

www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/event/autofiction-theory-practice-cultures-comparative-perspective