Translation as a process of resistance, resilience and activism

Call for Contributions:

" Translation as a means of resistance, resilience and activism, the case of Palestine and the broader Arab region”

Activism and Translation are at the core of recent research. For example, Shwaikh (2020) published a chapter on Gaza Strip highlighting the importance of speaking a different language in a war-zone country and emphasising the power of witness and of translating the voices of the oppressed. Mona Baker pioneered the movement of translators’ activism in the Arabic-speaking region through her seminal publications (2006a, 2006b, 2010, 2016a, 2016b, 2018, 2020). Other scholars followed in her wake such as, inter alia, Doerr (2018), Evans and Fernández (2018) Fernández (2020a), Valdeón and Calafat (2020), and Tesseur (2022). Similarly, other scholars highlighted the social and political weight translation can exert on shaping and reshaping the worldviews in an activist spirit such as in the works of Juli Boéri (2010, 2019, 2020). Hence, the expression the ‘activist turn’ of translation studies was coined, driving scholarly interest to an understudied, yet monumental, area of research (Wolf, 2012).

Indeed, activist translators and interpreters amplify oppressed voices and make them audible for all stakeholders through language and translation (Baker, 2013). Translators, with their voice-giving ability, are vested with the power of influencing political and social change by introducing new knowledge and ideologies through their translations. This translator’s visibility, manifested via the deliberate inclusion of personal worldviews and politics in translations, can breed change at any societal level, challenge dominant narratives and mobilise translation receptors (Tymoczko, 2010).

In the global era of Web 2.0/Translation 2.0 and the rise of social media, translation has shifted into a more social activity bringing about new community or crowdsourcing-based concepts into the realm of translation such as online translation, concurrent translation, collaborative translation, volunteer translation, fansubbing and fandubbing, and many other forms of amateur and professional web-based translation (O'Hagan, 2009; O'brien, 2011a; O'Hagan, 2011; Brabham, 2013; Jiménez-Crespo, 2017; Krimat, 2021, to name a few). By the same token, web 2.0 technologies have revolutionised activist translation through amplifying voices and facilitating real-time online collaboration that are enabled via the easy and hard-to-monitor content access, creation and dissemination. The Arab Spring is a prime example where the impact of language and translation, magnified by Web 2.0 and its social mobilisation, had a significant contribution to ideation and shaping the Arab Spring’s narratives (Baker, 2016; Morgner & Aldreabi, 2020). This has also brought about a qualitative change in the Arabic language itself as a result of globalization, creating and framing, therefore, the concept of “e-Arabic.” (Daoudi, 2011a; Daoudi, 2011b; Daoudi & Federici, 2011; Daoudi, 2017). With the semantic web or Web 3.0 gaining momentum with the ubiquity of AI technologies, activism, in its broader sense, is very likely to reach a new dimension with AI generative capabilities. Activist translation will be no exception though this area remains scholarly uncharted and holds considerable prospects and novel research pathways.

Against this rich background, we are pleased to announce a call for contributions to an upcoming edited volume on the theme of “Translation as a means of resistance, resilience and activism, the case of Palestine and the broader Arab region.”

This book aims to delve, synchronically or diachronically, into the multifaceted role of translation, including volunteer translation, in empowering activist movements, fostering resilience, and resisting oppression in the Arab region while focusing on Palestinian struggle for justice and survival.

Scope and Themes

This volume seeks to explore how translation acts as a versatile tool for resistance and resilience, enabling the dissemination of narratives, fighting propaganda, fostering intercultural understanding, counteracting dehumanization and demonization campaigns such as in the case of Palestinians, and challenging dominant biased discourses. We invite scholars, translators, activists, and practitioners to submit proposals on topics including, but not limited to:

• Feminist translation in the midst of resistance: the role of feminist translation in highlighting the suffering of Arab women in wars and commending the efforts and endeavours pertaining to political activism concerned with defending women and upholding their legitimate rights, especially Palestinian women who are suffering the atrocities of war.
• The role of translation in acting as witness to atrocities, shaping resistance and supporting resilience: examining how translation has been used to amplify oppressed voices and support resistance movements.
• Case studies of translation projects that have supported activism related to the Arab region: specific examples of successful translation initiatives that have furthered Palestinian, and broader Arab, causes.
• Volunteer translation and its impact on activism and community engagement: analysing the contributions of volunteer translators in activist movements and their impact on local and global communities.
• Translation strategies for conveying local oppressed voices and narratives to global audiences: effective methods and strategies for translating the texts of the oppressed to reach a wider audience.
• Ethical considerations and challenges in translating politically sensitive texts: navigating the ethical dilemmas and challenges faced by translators working with politically charged materials.
• The impact of translation on international solidarity with just causes, particularly, the Palestinian cause: exploring how translation fosters international support and solidarity with just struggles such as the Palestinian struggle for justice and freedom.
• Historical perspectives on translation, resistance, and resilience in the Palestinian context: Historical analysis of translation efforts in the context of Palestinian resistance.
• The intersection of translation, media, and activism in the narratives of struggle: examining how translation intersects with media and activism to shape the narratives of struggle.
• Challenges faced by volunteer translators in conflict zones: discussing the unique challenges and risks volunteer translators encounter when working in politically sensitive and conflict-ridden areas.
• Translation as a form of cultural resistance and preservation for the oppressed: exploring how translation helps preserve oppressed culture and resist cultural erasure.
• Crowdsourced and volunteer translation networks and their role in social and political activism: detailed studies on the structure, functioning, and impact of volunteer translation networks dedicated to activism under different forms such audio-visual translation and fandubbing.
• The use of translation in the digital age to mobilize support for just causes: examining the role of digital platforms and social media in translating and spreading oppressed facts and repressed narratives.
• Web 2.0 and activist translation: exploring the use of Web 2.0 technologies such as social media, blogs, wikis, and collaborative platforms in activist translation efforts.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine translation in activism: exploring the current and/or prospective role and impact of AI-driven translation tools in activism, including both benefits and challenges.

The working languages are Arabic, French and English.

Submission Guidelines

We welcome contributions from various disciplines, including Translation Studies, Cultural Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, Media Studies, and related fields. Both theoretical and empirical studies are encouraged. Submissions should be original and not previously published.

Proposal Submission

Please submit an abstract of no more than 500 words outlining the scope and main arguments of your proposed chapter, along with a brief bio (100-150 words) to n.krimat@univ-boumerdes.dz

By the 30^th /09/24.

Timeline

Abstract Submission Deadline: 30^th /09/24

Notification of Acceptance: 30^th /10/24

Full Chapter Submission: 30^th /04/25

Expected Publication Date: 31^st /12/25

Contact Information

For any queries or further information, please contact the editors at [email address].

We look forward to receiving your proposals and to the opportunity to collaboratively explore the powerful intersection of translation, resistance, resilience, activism, and volunteerism in the context of Palestine and the broader Arab region.

Sincerely,

Co-editors

Dr. Anissa Daoudi

University of Birmingham, UK

a.daoudi@bham.ac.uk

Dr. Noureddine Krimat

University of Boumerdes, Algeria

n.krimat@univ-boumerdes.dz