To mark the 35th anniversary of the journal TTR, the conference “Redefining translation? Historical fluctuations, new practices, and epistemologies in the making” will bring together established and emerging scholars to address themes related to translation (including interpretation), terminology, and writing. Translation, together with terminology and professional writing, constitutes a complex set of practices, processes, and epistemologies that, no matter what they are called, (e.g., translation, adaptation, transfer, intertextuality, transformation), has always played a prominent role in civil society while also being used as a tool of colonization and discrimination. Translation thus raises crucial ethical issues that call for serious reflection.
Starting from the tripartite definitions of translation proposed by Roman Jakobson (1959) and Gideon Toury (1995), among others, this conference invites scholars to reflect on the (re)definitions of translation and interpretation and their ethical implications throughout history. The following questions can serve as points of departure:
Does translation (along with interpretation) only involve transfer between languages, individuals, texts, communities or nation states? Or does it also concern any material, even biosemiotic, form of transfer that may or may not include interlingual exchange? Are translation and interpretation always synonymous with transfer?
Can we move from a restricted to an enlarged view of translation while also ensuring that this field of knowledge retains its specificity and common foundations? If so, what would these be (see Nouss, 2012)?
Is translation exclusive to human beings, that is to say, does it only take place between humans? What role does or should technology play in the translation process in light of the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and neural machine translation (NMT)? How do these changes affect human translation? What are the characteristics of the contemporary translating subject? To what extent can advances in AI and the ethical issues they raise enrich our analysis of the production of bilingual or multilingual content?
Given the complex power dynamics that characterize the Anthropocene, what roles can translation and interpretation play in mediating and raising awareness of contemporary issues? Clearly, the mediating role that both translation and interpretation play, whether in community settings or times of crisis, is a pressing current issue.
Insofar as translation can also be considered a cognitive act that precedes and facilitates communication despite differences, what cognitive theories can help us better understand translation and its practices?
As an interpretative act, translation is a heuristic tool that has the potential to participate in the production and circulation of knowledge. How might this potential be achieved?
This conference seeks to encourage dialogue on the important social role that translation plays in the formation and transformation of knowledge as well as in the movement and mediation of ideas.
We welcome proposals focusing on historical fluctuations (e.g., definitions of translation), new practices (e.g., linguistic revitalization thanks to translation), and epistemologies (e.g., the science of translation, hermeneutics, the interpretive school, various sociologies of translation, and complexity theory) that have defined, still define, and will define translation in the broader sense going forward.
We propose the following avenues of reflection corresponding to the three (inter)disciplines that form the title of TTR:
Translation
Inclusive translation: gender, accessibility, decolonization, Indigenization Translation, AI, and NMT: the role of humans
Translation and diversity: ethical issues
Translation, pseudo-translation, self-translation: toward new paradigms? Translation and adaptation: the limits of translation
Translation and interpretation: social contexts, crisis situations
Translation and migration: movement, displacement, uprooting, confinement Post-translation and transmediality: new forms of translation
Translation and pedagogy: what to teach and how? What is (or should be) the role of technology?
Translation and official bi- or multilingualism: increasing accessibility, equity, and diversity or maintaining the status quo?
Terminology
Socioterminology or terminology and sociology?
Terminology and interpretation: the role of terminological research
Terminology, AI, and NMT: the human contribution
Terminology and pedagogy: how to teach terminology as a key element to ensuring a more equitable society?
Translation and terminology: are they inseparable?
Professional Writing
Professional writing, editing, revision, and post-editing: are they essential relationships? Inclusive writing: diversity, gender, accessibility, decolonization, Indigenization Professional writing and terminology: are they inseparable?
Professional writing and pedagogy: to what extent has writing become an essential competence for future translators? How should new generations be trained?
Deadline for submissions: 1 October 2023
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CfP: Edited volume “Translation, Religion and Technology” (Routledge Research in Translation and Religion series)Editor: Prof. Anne O’ConnorAbout: While it is acknowledged that in a digitally linked world, religious experience can travel at speed and globally, the challenges of the linguistic dimensions of this communication, and the role played by translation have not been adequately considered. As religious content, rituals, and interactions become increasingly present online, attention to translation becomes crucial in the global digital space. The modes of communication of digital religion oƯer exciting new opportunities for translation scholars which have heretofore been untapped (Blumczynski and Israel 2018). Interaction with technology can encompass religious communities engaging with digital tools—whether through online sermons, virtual worship services, or religious apps—with translation becoming a key factor in ensuring that these practices remain meaningful and accessible across linguistic and cultural boundaries. Much study on digital religion has considered the new opportunities opened up for religion by the internet and user interaction with web-based technologies and social media. For religion online (Helland 2000), organisations and institutions use digital spaces and technological tools to enable a presence that reaches beyond a local or national borders and thereby encounter many translational issues. However, religions also make use of translation technologies in contexts other than digital spaces and it is important to acknowledge the presence of translation technology in physical religious spaces. Where a religious group has a multilingual community, technologies can enable religious practice and communication, especially in the absence of a common language. Moreover, interpreting in religious contexts (Furmanek 2022, Downie 2024), is primed for innovative uses of technologies to enable communication and understanding. Audiovisual translation, ad hoc interpreting devices, and volunteer-led technical innovations can all be present in religious spaces as communities seek to overcome linguistic barriers to enable religious practices.Themes: Chapters will focus on the intersection of translation, religion and technology in the diverse religious spaces mentioned above with topics including a selection of the following: The use of translation technologies in religious contexts AI-assisted translation and its use in religious communication Translation and online religion/religion online Institutional religious translation practices and technological change Volunteer religious translation activities incorporating technology Religious translation in informal, low-resource settings Translation, religion and social media Interpreting in religious settings and translation toolsThe intersection of religious practice, belief, and community with digital technologies Balancing between innovation and tradition, between technological advancement and historical sacred practices and texts Alternative discourses and their presence in digital religious spaces Enabling religious practice through translation technologies Adapting religious content for new digital environments The digital realm as both a space for innovation and a challenge for maintaining religious (and linguistic) authenticity and continuity AI, ethics and religious translation Issues of gender in religion, translation and technology Canonical religious texts and technical/digital change Untranslatability and religion in digital contexts Technology and sustainable futures for religious translationDeadlines and submission:The volume will be published by Routledge. Deadline for abstracts: 27 February 2026 Notification of acceptance: March 2026 Deadline for chapters: September 2026 Review process: September - December 2026 Publication: 2027 Abstracts of 300 words and author bio to be sent to anne.oconnor@universityofgalway.ie
Translation and interpreting are increasingly shaped by complex, real-world technological, institutional, and socio-cultural contexts. Yet, research that emerges from direct engagement with these contexts often remains underrepresented in scholarly publishing. Collaborative research, understood as research conducted by or with practitioners, offers a vital corrective: it brings to light the lived realities, adaptive strategies, and situated expertise of professionals working within and alongside evolving systems. Academia-industry collaboration is the cornerstone of future-facing and impactful translation and interpreting education and research. This special issue aims to showcase how collaborative research and educational partnerships with the professional world advance theory, push disciplinary boundaries, and deepen our understanding of translation and interpreting as practices shaped by social, cultural, and pedagogical contexts.Synergising professional experience and field research has gained significant attention in recent years, particularly in certain areas such as audiovisual translation (Tuominen & Silvester, 2025) and language automation technology (Rodríguez de Céspedes & Bawa Mason, 2022). Although perhaps rare in other fields within the arts and humanities, academics who also professionally involved in the industry are relatively common in translation and interpreting. This has logically led to certain research outputs focusing on aspects such as working conditions and translation rates (Carreira, 2023; Lambert & Walker, 2022, 2024) and trust in translation project management (Olohan & Davitti, 2015), among many other areas of scholarly interest that can be found in recent publications on the translation industry (Angelone, Massey & Ehrensberger-Dow, 2019; Walker & Lambert, 2025).ThemesThe journal invites manuscripts that engage with one or more of the following key themes, while also welcoming fresh perspectives that expand the conversation:Wellbeing, resilience, and soft skills in translation and interpreting practice;Employability and career pathways for graduates entering the language professions;Situated learning and work placements as bridges between academia and industry;Embedding professional practice in teaching through practitioner involvement and industry-informed curricula;Networks, support systems, and alumni engagement for sustainable career development;Diversity, equity, and inclusion: embracing difference in collaborative contexts;Educating clients, companies, and end users about translation and interpreting, including AI/MT-mediated content;Ethical collaborations and responsible partnerships between academia and industry;Innovation, co-creation, and participatory research methods;Enjoyment and rewards of the language professions (slow translation);Ways in which academia-industry synergies generate new knowledge, foster innovation, and support inclusive, context-sensitive scholarship.Practical informationSelected papers will be submitted to a double-blind peer review.Submission of paper proposals (including a title and an abstract of approximately 300 words, excluding references) should be sent to all three guest editors:Xiaochun Zhang (xiaochun.zhang@ucl.ac.uk)Alejandro Bolanos-Garcia-Escribano (a.bolanos@ucl.ac.uk)Olivia Cockburn (o.cockburn@ucl.ac.uk) DeadlinesAbstract deadline: 1 May 2026Acceptance of abstract proposals: 1 July 2026Submission of papers: 1 December 2026Acceptance of papers: March 2027Submission of final versions of papers: 1 June 2027Editorial work (proofreading, APA, layout): September – October 2027Publication: December 2027
CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR A SPECIAL ISSUE Submitting Proposals are open for a special guest-edited issue of Translation Studies 21(2) to be published in May 2028 Translation Studies aims to extend the discipline’s methodologies, areas of interest and conceptual frameworks while testing the traditional boundaries of the notion of “translation” and offering a forum for debate focusing on historical, social, institutional and cultural facets of translation.The editors are inviting proposals for a special issue that engages with cutting-edge debates, critical questions, and innovative directions in translation studies with relevance for a global scholarly audience. Please note that in line with the aims and scope of the journal, we will not consider submissions dealing with translator and interpreter training.Guest editor(s) will be responsible for curating the content of the issue, overseeing the review process in consultation with the journal editors, and copy editing the accepted submissions. The Editorial Team will provide guidance and support to ensure the highest level of quality for the guest-edited special issue.Submission You can submit your proposal to the Editorial Team (translationstudiesjournal@gmail.com), with “Translation Studies 21 Special Issue” in the subject line, by 31 March 2026, for consideration in Volume 21 (2028). Decisions will be communicated by 30 April 2026. Each proposal should include:- A title- A call for papers outlining the thematic focus, rationale, and significance (up to 750 words)- A list of indicative topics- The names and contact details of the guest editors, along with brief bio notes highlighting their editorial experience (up to 150 words)
The inaugural issue, on the theme of Community, will be published in the autumn of 2026.Only ONE submission per Call can be accepted from the same contributor, and all submissions must follow the Style Guidelines. Submissions are invited in the following categories: Translations, Research Articles and Reviewes.Key datesDeadline for submitting your contribution: Friday 10 April 2026Authors notified of publication decision: by Friday 12 June 2026Authors to submit revised contributions: Friday 21 August 2026Publication: Autumn 2026
Guest editors: Xany Jansen Van Vuuren, Helen-Mary Cawood, & James Kelly. Deadline for submissions: 31 August 2026 More details here.
