Fikseerijad

Fikseerijad is a term used in contemporary literary criticism to describe a practice or group of practitioners who deliberately intertwine fictional narration with non-fictional material to reframe or reinterpret events, people, or phenomena. In this usage, fikseerijad emphasizes the constructive potential of fiction to illuminate hidden assumptions and to reveal the contingency of recorded truth.

Etymology and usage: The word appears to be a portmanteau combining fikseer- (root related to fiction) and -ijad, a plural suffix found in various scholarly discussions. The term is not widely standardized and its definition varies across sources, but most discussions converge on describing a deliberate blurring of boundaries between fact and fiction as a method rather than a genre.

Practice and methods: Proponents describe techniques such as hypothetical reconstructions, fictionalized composites, and invented documents presented as interpretive aids. Critics caution that blurred boundaries risk misinformation or ethical concerns, unless there is explicit signaling to readers that fiction is being used to explore ideas rather than to mislead about real events. Ethical guidelines often focus on transparency, attribution, and the intended epistemic aims.

Impact and reception: In academic circles, fikseerijad is discussed in relation to autofiction, metafiction, and narrative ethics. Supporters argue that it challenges readers to interrogate sources, biases, and the politics of representation. Detractors argue that it can undermine trust in nonfiction genres and public discourse.

See also: Metafiction, Autofiction, Narrative ethics, Misinformation in media.