CFP: 2nd International LARIM Conference - Power and Ideology in Interpreter-Mediated Contexts

Power is one of the most complex concepts in the social and political sciences, partly because there are so many competing definitions, and partly because many key decisions are made behind closed doors, making for confidential settings. At the same time, the analysis of power is critical to our understanding the contexts in which we work. Examining the processes and structures of power leads us to develop knowledge of the forces that shape our organizations, institutions, relationships and, as a consequence, our own opportunities and experiences (Tolmach Lakoff 2000:24) both as professionals and as analysts.

Ideology is closely linked to power in terms of making sense of a shared meaning within a specific context. To date there have been relatively few studies that have concentrated on power and ideology in Interpreting Studies (e.g. Beaton 2007; Calzada Pérez 1997, Katan e Straniero-Sergio 2003; Wallmach 2002, Vuorikoski 2004).
We espouse a wider view of ideology, which also encompasses hegemony (cf. Beaton 2007, Mason 1994, Fowler 1985) as “a set of beliefs and values which inform an individual’s or institution’s view of the world and assist their interpretation of events, facts, etc.” (Mason 1994: 25). In line with scholars operating in the field of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), such as Teun van Dijk (1998) and Ruth Wodak (2001) all language use can be construed, at some level, as ideological. Therefore, as users of language representing other people’s language use, interpreters are necessarily immersed in ideology. The discipline of Interpreting Studies is challenged to examine its role and stance ideologically (Pöchhacker 2006).
Furthermore, in her chapter entitled “Interpreting and Ideology: Research Trends and Methods”, Anne Martin (2016: 225-244) has helped to lay the groundwork for a discussion on power and ideology and we here quote her work – where applicable – when listing the areas of interest for the conference.

We particularly welcome abstracts that address the following topics:
1) Interpreter status at the service of a dominant ideology
2) The ways in which the ideology of principals or speakers affects the interpreting process and content
3) Prevalent discourse about the profession (i.e. professional narratives) and/or the influence of such discourse and ideology in interpreter training
4) Power and power differential in community and court interpreting settings
5) The interpersonal nature of interpreting in community and court interpreting setting which may lead to ethical dilemmas for the interpreter, “who frequently have to take uncomfortable decisions of an ideological nature, mostly pertaining to the limits of their role” (Martin 2016: 230).
6) Daily practice of community and court interpreters seen as a “clash between real life and the idealized role prescriptions of invisibility and impartiality become most obvious” (ibid.).
7) Directionality and language direction in conference interpreting with ideological connotations, e.g. marked difference between Western Europe and Soviet Bloc countries until the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1991.
8) Interpreting effected in armed conflict settings.
9) Interpreting and the construction of national images.
10) Ideological clashes interpreters encounter.
11) Discourse, power, media and interpreting.
12) Interpreting and gender issues.
13) Interpreting and LGBT issues.
14) CDA-informed corpus-based studies of interpreting.

Contributions based on authentic data collected in a variety of contexts (conference, court, healthcare, pedagogical, inter alia) are sought from analysts who adopt varied tools and approaches including, but not restricted to, the following: Conversation Analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis, Corpus-based studies, Sociological approaches, Pragmatic approaches.

Key dates
Proposals for 20-minute papers should be submitted to larim@unint.eu by 15 May 2017.
The Scientific Committee will evaluate submissions and reply by 15 July 2017.
– Call for Papers First Circular 15 March 2017
– Call for Papers Second Circular 15 April 2017
– Abstracts due 15 May 2017
– Responses 15 July 2017

Abstract submission guidelines
Abstracts of approximately 300 words (excluding points 1, 2 and 8 below) should be sent as doc, .docx (MS Word 2003 or 2007) or .txt files. They should be structured as follows:
1. Presenter’s name and affiliation
2. Short bio
3. Title
4. 4-5 keywords
5. Research area and focus
6. Research methodology and objectives
7. Brief summary
8. Short key bibliography

Keynote Speakers

Professor Emerita Christina Schäffner, Aston University, Birmingham

Prof. Dr. Morven Beaton Thome, Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Translation and Multilingual Communication