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2nd Conference of the International
Association for
Translation and Intercultural Studies
University
of the Western Cape,
Cape Town, South Africa
July
12th to 14th, 2006
Intervention in Translation, Interpreting and Intercultural Encounters
Conference Closing Address
Annie Brisset
IATIS President
The Second IATIS
Conference was
held at The University of the Western Cape in
Cape Town, South Africa on 12-14 July 2006. The theme of
this successful event was "Intervention in Translation,
Interpreting and Intercultural Studies".
< Dear
members, colleagues and friends,
The
Second IATIS Conference, Intervention in Translation, Interpreting
and Intercultural Encounters, hosted by the University of the
Western Cape in South Africa (11-14 July 2006), was a great success.
In addition to six plenary lectures by eminent scholars from Africa,
China, Europe, India, the Middle East and North America, approximately
150 papers were presented in 20 panels. Continuing in the spirit of
the First IATIS Conference, which was
held in Seoul in August 2004 under the auspices of UNESCO, the Second
Conference attracted participants from all continents and regions of
the world. Fittingly, one of the main objectives of our conferences is
to bring together scholars representing the widest range of traditions
and perspectives and to facilitate cooperation among the global
community of researchers in translation and other related disciplines.
I am particularly pleased that our Second
Conference was hosted by a university in a country that boasts 11
official languages -- a level of linguistic diversity that reflects
the multilingual and multicultural situation of most African
countries. In a field of research that has been centered on Western
translation traditions and practices for so long it was particularly
important to hear African voices from such countries as Cameroon,
Nigeria, Malawi and Uganda as well as from various parts of South
Africa, not to mention scholars from Arabic-speaking countries, whose
voices are too seldom heard in translation studies. I believe that
this Conference will play an important role in promoting cooperation
in the development of translation and intercultural communication
throughout the African continent.
When we consider the topics that were
covered in many presentations, including the plenary sessions, we
plainly see that translation as it is currently understood in its
broader sense, that is, as an interface between cultures, has distinct
sociological and political consequences. Translation relates to human
beings and communities. In many instances, interlingual and
intercultural communication is directly connected with human rights.
While we reflected upon the social and
political underpinnings of translation and other forms of
intercultural communication, the world witnessed the opening of
another major theatre of war: the bombing of Beirut. This turn of
events gave particular relevance to the question raised moments
earlier by Rita Kothari in her plenary address: how do we go from
manuvad to anuvad—from a caste system, which characterizes
our world as dominated by separate identities, to dialogical
encounters? Translators have come to think of themselves as
“intervenients” to use Carol Maier’s concept. They have come to see
themselves as agents of change. Many speakers demonstrated that this
is not always the case. In view of what was happening in the world
during the Conference, Yameng Liu’s examination of the asymmetrical
relations between the North and the South seemed more appropriate than
ever: “How to Become a Translator Engagé in Our Time?” How can
we help protect and promote marginalized languages and cultures? As
president of IATIS, I feel that this should be a major concern. If the
promotion of intercultural dialogue is one of our highest priorities,
how can we translate our discourse into actions that can make a
difference at the local and regional levels?
IATIS was created to meet the need for a
global forum dedicated to research in translation and other forms of
intercultural communication. Thus, the IATIS Conference is recognized
as one of the largest scientific meetings on translation and related
studies, where the most recent developments in the discipline are
presented. However, many of our colleagues, new scholars and graduate
students are unable to join us for economic or political reasons.
This reminds us of our mission: to unite
researchers through other channels of communication and cooperation
and through a variety of scientific and educational activities. In the
two years since its inception, IATIS has been very active in training
and publications.
The
first IATIS Yearbook, entitled Translation and the Construction of
Identity, was released in 2005 as a refereed volume based on
papers that were presented at the IATIS inaugural conference. In a
similar vein, the creation of
New Voices in Translation Studies was a particularly original
initiative. The goal of this refereed electronic journal is to
disseminate high-quality work by new translation scholars throughout
the world. The first issue was published in 2005 and will shortly be
followed by a second issue. Similarly, five issues of the
IATIS Bulletin
featuring news from the international world of translation studies
were made available from the Association website.
At the same time, the largest online
bibliography of Publications on Translator and Interpreter Training,
with hyperlinks to training resources on the Internet, has been
drafted and will soon be available on
IATIS website. Consultations are under way to organize workshops
to assist specific institutions or regions experiencing a shortage of
trainers.
All these accomplishments were made
possible thanks to the exceptional dedication of a core group of IATIS
members. On behalf of the Association, I would like to thank every one
of them. At this early stage in the life of IATIS, their commitment
was invaluable and is deeply appreciated.
Further proposals were adopted during the
general assembly to promote cooperation and give shape and relevance
to our mission. As president of IATIS, I am deeply committed to the
implementation of the proposals and action plans that this entails.
I would like to thank personally the
University of the Western Cape, and specifically Dr. Stanley Ridge,
Vice Rector Academic and founder of the Centre for Humanities
Research, who initiated the proposal to host the Second IATIS
Conference. We are all thankful for his generous hospitality.
I owe sincere thanks to all members of
the Local Organizing Committee: Charlyn Dyer (University of the
Western Cape), the admirably efficient and dedicated chief organizer;
Alet Kruger and Kim Wallmach (University of South Africa, Pretoria),
who organized the programme; Ilse Feinauer (Stellenbosch University)
for contacting booksellers and publishers; and Judith Inggs
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg), who handled
sponsorships. Their dedicated work made the Second IATIS Conference a
success.
The support of the international advisory
committee in nominating the invited speakers and in maintaining the
high standards of this Conference was also highly appreciated. Our
special thanks to Dorothy Kenny (Dublin City University) for her
outstanding leadership and efficiency.
I also would like to express the
Association’s gratitude to our sponsor, the Flemish Interuniversity
Council, represented by Jan Blommaert (Ghent University), for
financially supporting the Conference as part of its funding of the
Culture, Language and Identity project in the Faculty of Arts of the
University of the Western Cape.
Thanks are also due to panel and workshop
organizers as well as to all speakers and participants, who by
attending the Conference have helped to make it a successful event.
Annie
Brisset
IATIS President
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