Discussion Group: Thinking Activism and Translation in the Twenty-First Century
The OCCT Discussion Group's co-convenors Georgie Fooks and Alyssa Ollivier-Tabukashvili invite you to join them in this unique session focused on conceptualising the role of activism in translation, and translation in activism. Translation scholarship in the twenty-first century has seen a sociological and activist turn, most notably through the work of Mona Baker, leading to numerous special issues, conferences and collected editions on varieties of approaches to the role of translation in activism, and being an activist in the act of translation.
In this session we will survey a range of approaches and ideas on the position of activism in translation, and specifically its meaning to us as individuals with different relationships to 'translation' and 'activism'. 'Translation' includes a number of multilingual exchanges such as literary translation, volunteer translation, interpreting (legal, community, humanitarian), and the quotidian translation of conversation or social media. Whether we are practising translators, readers of published translations, or consuming global content via various online platforms, the possibility of activism may come our way, whether we are taking action or receiving the results of another's activism.
The hope is that attendees come away from this session having reflected on how translation and activism might be meaningful for them, regardless of their individual role in either practice.
All are welcome - the reading suggested below is not compulsory, as key ideas will be summarised during the session.
Primary reading:
- 'Introduction: Translation and activism in the time of the now', by Rebecca Ruth Gould and Kayvan Tahmasebian in The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Activism (2023)
