Conference programme

The Conference will bring nearly 300 delegates to Edinburgh for a 3-day programme comprising 72 Panel Sessions, 252 Papers, 5 Keynote Lectures, 3 Round Tables, the first Peter Brand Lecture, and a lot more.  

For the Edinburgh 2019 SIS Conference Programme please follow this link:

Conference Venue

With the exception of the Official Conference Opening at the Scottish Parliament, the Edinburgh 2019 SIS Biennial will have our School’s Building as its venue:

School of Literatures Languages and Cultures

University of Edinburgh

50 George Square

Edinburgh EH8 9LH

Conference Registration

Please report at Registration on arrival. The Registration Desk is located on the Ground Floor in 50 GS, and will remain open throughout the Conference. 

Delegate Packs

The Delegate Packs will be ready for collection at the Registration Desk. They include:

• Conference Programme
• Essential Conference Information
• Speaking in Cultures Brochure
• Edinburgh Map
• SIS Delegates Edinburgh Passport
• SIS Delegates Deals and Discount Vouchers

Finding Your Way in 50 GS

Panel Venues are located between the Lower Ground (LG) and the Third Floor (e.g., 2.54, 3.39). All Ground Floor locations start with G (e.g., G.03, G.04). Keynote Lectures and Plenaries (Round Tables) will take place in G.03 and G.04. 

Conference Hub 

The Project Room (First Floor) will serve as our break-out space throughout the Conference. The Opening Remarks and Jhumpa Lahiri’s Book Signing will take place there. Light Refreshments will be served there as part of the Coffee Breaks.

Please note that Lunch Breaks are not catered for. The Delegate Packs include suggestions for local cafés and restaurants offering SIS Delegate Deals. Your Edinburgh Passport will give you access to some excellent deals. 

Conference Opening

The Edinburgh 2019 SIS Conference will have its Official Opening at the Scottish Parliament, Wednesday 26 June 6-8pm, as part of the public event Speaking in Cultures. Dress code: smart casual.

Admission is free, but places had to be reserved via our Online Conference Registration by 31 May. If you did not register for this event and your name is not on the Official Guest List, you will not be allowed in (sorry!) – sold out event. 

You can find more information regarding the event – including our Keynote Speaker Jhumpa Lahiri and the award ceremony of the Edinburgh Gadda Prize – in the Conference Programme, or you can follow this link:

Edinburgh Gadda Prize

Speaking in Cultures is sponsored by the Edinburgh Gadda Prize and the Vittoria Group Edinburgh.

Scottish Parliament Transfer

In transferring from 50 GS to the Scottish Parliament, EH99 1SP, please factor in two transfer times:

• from 50 GS to the Scottish Parliament Building (Visitor’s Entrance)
• from Security to the Garden Lobby

You can find full Transfer and Security Instructions including total transfer time in the Conference programme, or you can follow this link:

Edinburgh Gadda Prize

Please note that Speaking in Cultures will start promptly at 6pm and that late comers will not be admitted. 

Conference Programme Explained

In designing the Conference Programme we had practicality and ease-of-use in mind. You can view the five Keynote Lectures together in one page. You can see the full three days in the Programme at a Glance. You can see each of the eight Panels Blocks also at a glance. You can find the ongoing ECR-Drop in and the PGR Caucus at the end of the blocks listing. You can see when and where the Round Tables take place in the Programme at a Glance. You will find the full list of those attending in the Delegates Listing. Enjoy browsing!

The First Peter Brand Lecture

To mark our Centenary, our Keynote Speaker Professor Lino Pertile (Harvard – formerly Edinburgh University 1988-1995) will deliver the first Peter Brand Lecture entitled On Ulysses: in Praise of Literature – Wednesday 26 June 11:00-12:00, 50 GS Room G.03. Peter Brand (1923-2016) was Professor of Italian at Edinburgh from 1967 till his retirement in 1987.

Round Table with Jhumpa Lahiri

We are delighted to host a Round Table with Jhumpa Lahiri,  who will be introducing her recent anthology of Italian short stories (Penguin, 2019), launching the running theme of the conference ahead of her Keynote Address at the Scottish Parliament. In conversation with Jhumpa Lahiri – Wednesday 26 June 2:30-3:30, 50 GS Room G.03.

Conference Contacts

For all registration queries, including your registration status and obtaining attendance statements or payments receipts, please visit our Registration Desk – Ground Floor, 50 George Square.

For any further queries prior and during the Conference, please contact the Conference Leaders – Davide Messina and Federica G Pedriali  – directly.