Publisher: Routledge
Series: Routledge Studies in Chinese Translation
Deadline for abstracts: 15 January 2024
Editors:
• Wenqian Zhang, University of Exeter, UK
• Sui He, Swansea University, UK
Chinese Internet literature (CIL), also known as Chinese online/web/network literature, refers to“Chinese-language writing, either in established literary genres or in innovative literary forms, writtenespecially for publication in an interactive online context and meant to be read on-screen” (Hockx 2015,4). While CIL is commonly equated with Chinese web-based genre fiction known for entertainmentvalue, it encompasses a broader range of genres such as poetry and comic strips, covering realisticthemes prevailing in serious literature (Inwood 2016; Feng 2021). CIL is born-digital, but it differsessentially from ‘electronic literature’ or ‘digital literature’ that originated in the West. While Westerne-literature is “more technology-oriented” (Duan 2018, 670) and usually involves “some sort ofcomputer programming or code” (Hockx 2015, 5–6), CIL is relatively less technologised andexperimental in format. In fact, what makes CIL stand out is its interactive features facilitated byprofessional literary platforms, its underlying profit motive, and mass participation in terms of literarywriting, reading and criticism (Hockx 2015).Over the past three decades, the proliferation of CIL has been fuelled by advancements in internettechnology and formulation of larger social media communities, alongside other key factors such aseconomic growth and the constantly changing ideological and political discourses in and outsidemainland China. One notable landmark in the trajectory of CIL is the implementation of a pay-per-readbusiness model by the literary website Qidian (起点 Starting Points) in 2003 – in this model, Qidiancharges readers for accessing serialised popular novels and their ‘VIP chapters’ (Hockx 2015, 110). Thisstep marks the beginning of the commodification of CIL. It reshapes the literary writing practices andauthor-reader/producer-consumer dynamics in Chinese cyberspace (Schleep 2015, Tian and Adorjan2016). Further developments along this line have enabled CIL to grow into a streamlined industry andmature ecosystem, with a vast number of popular titles being adapted into films, TV/web series, videogames and other types of media products, generating enormous economic value and revenue.
The influence of CIL has travelled across geographical and linguistic borders. Platforms such asWuxiaworld, Webnovel, Chapters and TapRead have made significant contributions to the disseminationof CIL to the global audience. In addition to translations published on authorised literary platforms, fantranslations spread within fan communities form a grey zone for less-regulated consumption of CILaround the world. To lower the cost and shorten the turnaround time of translating CIL, literaryplatforms have shifted their attention to AI-powered translation. For example, Webnovel has integratedLingoCloud (an AI-powered translation extension) into its website. Other practitioners in the industry,such as Funstory.ai Ltd. (推文科技 tuiwen keji), provide the service of “AI-assisted multilingualtranslation and processing, front cover design, booklist creating, book review collecting, chapter-by-chapter performance analysis and localisation” in order to promote online literature overseas(funstory.ai).To date, there has been an extensive body of research on CIL in literary, gender, platform and culturalstudies in a monolingual stance (e.g., Feng 2013; Shao 2016; Ouyang 2018), but only a handful ofscholarly articles delve specifically into its interlingual, intersemiotic and intercultural disseminationon the global stage (e.g., Cao 2021; Chang and Gao 2022; Chen 2023; Li 2021). To bridge this gap, thisvolume will be the first book in English that offers a critical examination of the translation, adaptationand circulation of CIL. As a timely addition to the scholarship on this topic, we aim to provide acontextual background and a framework for navigating the emerging subfield in the literary landscape,approaching its translation and dissemination across national, cultural, medial and linguistic borders.We welcome contributions that explore topics including but not limited to:
o Interdisciplinary attempts for addressing the methodological and theoretical considerations oftranslating CIL (e.g., gender studies, fan studies, literary studies, media studies, cultural studies,marketing studies, digital humanities, human-machine interaction, etc.);
o Theoretical underpinnings in terms of translation studies (e.g., audiovisual translation,multimodality, user-centred translation, collaborative translation, localisation, literarytranslation, etc.);
o Exploring and (re-)defining the terminologies and characteristics associated with the(sub)genres of CIL in light of its interlingual, intersemotic and/or intercultural transmission;and what does CIL mean for how we understand literature and translation;
o Agents involved in the translation, adaptation and dissemination of CIL (e.g., translators,literary websites/platforms, readers, streaming services, governmental bodies, etc.) – either aspractical reflections or research observations;o Social, political and technical infrastructures related to the translation and dissemination of CIL(e.g., state censorship and policies, publishing patterns and models, marketing and promotionalactivities, AI-assisted/machine translation of CIL, etc.);
o The construction of transmedia universe and IPs (e.g., the adaptation of popular literary titlesinto web series, video games, films, manga, animation, etc.);
o Assessment, review and reception of CIL and their translations
To propose a chapter, please submit an abstract (500 words maximum, excluding references) and ashort bio (100 words maximum) to both w.zhang3@exeter.ac.uk and sui.he@swansea.ac.uk by 15January 2024. Please send your email with a subject line in the format of “TransCIL + Author name”.Ideally, abstracts should provide details about the research questions, methodologies, and, if possible,the results
(6) (PDF) Call for Papers | Edited Volume: Translating Chinese Internet Literature: Global Adaptation and Circulation (Routledge, 2025). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375598118_Call_for_Papers_Edited_Volume_Translating_Chinese_Internet_Literature_Global_Adaptation_and_Circulation_Routledge_2025 [accessed Dec 12 2023].
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.
