It was almost 40 years ago that Hans J. Vermeer published his ground-breaking article entitled “A Framework for a General Theory of Translation” [Ein Rahmen für eine allgemeine Translationstheorie (1978)] in which, for the first time, he outlined his functionalist approach for a wide specialised readership. After initially being the subject of considerable controversy, this approach has become a theoretical mainstay in Translation Studies. As a consequence of the canonisation of Vermeer’s work, his theoretical contribution is usually reduced to the systematic establishment of a functionalist framework. However, Vermeer himself opposed this reduction. In particular, his 'other' publications (in translation history, translation education, translation ethics, and the philosophy of Translation Studies) reveal his commitment to an open approach to theory development in Translation Studies. By entitling his works “attempts”, “drafts” or “sketches“, he explicitly refers to the provisional nature of scientific knowledge, and encourages thinking along with, thinking beyond, and thinking differently from his ideas.
This conference takes the upcoming 40th anniversary of Vermeer’s ‘framework’ article as an opportunity to address his call. Hence, its purpose is not to offer a mere appraisal and examination of Vermeer’s achievements. Instead, the objective is to select certain ideas that are not immediately associated with the canonised Vermeer and to use them as a vantage point for new, perhaps even surprising reflections that further his efforts to frame, draft, and sketch a theory of translation.
Instead of suggesting general topics to align the contributions with the design of the conference, we propose some direct quotes by Vermeer representing the variety and diversity of his work. These are not meant to be read merely with, but also against the grain. Hence, the focus of the conference will be placed on reading Vermeer differently; a reading that can be used for debate within the field of Translation Studies. What we are looking for are creative contributions which, starting from the perspective of one of the following quotations, deal dialogically with Vermeer’s work or specific aspects of it.
The conference languages will be English and German.
Prospective presenters can submit their abstract (300 words) via the conference site. The standard time for a presentation is 20 minutes plus 10 minutes discussion. Deadline for abstracts: 01.06.2018. Deadline extended!
Abstracts will be peer reviewed and selected by our scientific committee. Notification of acceptance: 30.06.2018.
Participants can also attend the conference without giving a paper.
Full details: https://vermeerconf.en.fb06.uni-mainz.de/call-for-papers/
Call for Papers:The Institute of Translation and Interpreting Studies (ITRI) at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies will virtually host its 26th International Conference on Thursday, January 21, 2027.Theme: “Shifting Paradigms in the T&I Research Ecosystem.”With the advent of the generative AI era, significant changes are taking place across the research ecosystem of translation and interpreting. Research topics are expanding, and research methodologies are becoming increasingly diverse.Now is the time for translation and interpreting scholars to take stock of these ongoing changes in the research ecosystem and to explore how we can adapt to this evolving environment and help shape its development in a human-centered direction.Keynote Speaker: Ralph Krüger (TH Köln)Title: AI Literacy and Language AI Projects in EuropeSubmissions addressing a wide range of topics related to human and machine translation and interpreting are welcome, including but not limited to:Diversification of Research Topics and MethodologiesChanges in Research EthicsShifting Roles and Status of Translators and Interpreters·Changing Work Paradigms in Translation and InterpretingTranslator and Interpreter Education and Training·Translation/Interpreting and TechnologySubmitting a proposalIndividual proposals should be a minimum of 300 words.Proposal(s)may be submitted in English or Korean.All proposals should be accompanied by short bios (approx. 100 words) of the presenters.Please send all proposals via email to itri@hufs.ac.krDatesDecember 6, 2026: Proposal submission deadlineDecember 8, 2026: Proposal acceptance notificationJanuary 8, 2027: Paper submission (Microsoft Word or PowerPoint slides)For any inquiries, please email ITRI at itri@hufs.ac.kr.How to register as a participantConference registration is free.The online conference link will be posted on the ITRI homepage before the conference: http://itri.hufs.ac.krIf you wish to present, please check the information above and let us know of your intention to present in advance using the link below.https://forms.gle/gHeRWpyUDKGGfoZdA
Call for Translations (2026-2027):Journal: Society for Cinema & Media Studies (SCMS) – Translation/Publication Committee In collaboration with JCMS: Journal of Cinema and Media Studies The SCMS Translation/Publication Standing Committee welcomes two types of proposals: (1) a single text such as a journal article, book chapter, or self-contained section of a book that focuses on a particular topic in a unified, coherent way, or (2) a group of smaller texts that are linked thematically, regionally, or otherwise.Deadline:Proposals are due by October 23, 2026. Submissions should be sent to the Standing Committee Coordinator (committees@scmstudies.org) and cc: the SCMS Translation/Publication Committee Chair, Catherine Benamou (cbenamou@uci.edu).More details: https://www.cmstudies.org/page/comm_translation
Call for papers:Event: Who Appears After Translation? Authors, Artists, and Transcultural Personas — ACLA 2027American Comparative Literature Association Annual Meeting 2027University of Houston, May 20–23, 2027Organizers: Maya Boutaghou and Song Huang, University of VirginiaPossible topics include, but are not limited to:literary translationself-translationmultilingual writingtranslated authors and authorial personastranslators as mediators of cultural identityperformance circulationadaptationvisual translationartistic and celebrity personasdigital mediadiasporic and postcolonial translationmultilingual subjectivityuntranslatabilitytranscultural mediationtranslation and cultural memorytranslation across literary, visual, and embodied mediaSubmissionPaper proposals must be submitted through the ACLA 2027 online portal.Deadline: September 22, 2026More info: https://www.acla.org/seminar/7a421fda-c5ce-4e42-b382-0d05b579746b
Call for Papers:Event: History and Translation Network Conference 2027 Time : September 20-23, 2027Place: Ghent University, BelgiumPossible topics include:translator branding and authorial visibilitygendered and postcolonial invisibilityarchival recovery of neglected translators and mediatorstranslation and mechanisms of canonisationthe historical circulation of texts in manuscript, print, and digital culturesthe materiality of texts, media ecosystems, and publishing networkscensorship, patronage, cultural diplomacy, and cultural policytranslation as labour, profession, and economic practicereaders, reception, and communities of interpretationtranslation and media(tion)the shifting boundaries between human and non-human mediationsocial, intellectual, institutional, and communication networksdigital humanities approaches, network analysis, corpus studies, and archival methodologiesPaper submission deadline: 1 February 2027More info: https://htn2027.ugent.be/en
Call for Papers:International Conference: Translating Sacred Texts: Dimensions, Challenges, and Contemporary Perspectives Date: December 03, 2026Format: In-PersonVenue: Faculty of Arabic Language, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, MoroccoSubmission Guidelines• Abstract: 250–300 words, accompanied by a short biographical note. • Keywords: 4–6 keywords. • Conference Language: English. • Submission Email: sacredtexttranslation@gmail.com• Submission Deadline: September 1, 2026. Read more: https://sites.google.com/uca.ac.ma/sacredtextconference/accueil
