Calls for papers

This conference sets out to bring a diachronic perspective to the development of audiovisual translation, through a consideration of historical practices and their influence on the contemporary context. It is hoped that this will enable AVT researchers and the industry to have greater insight into future developments in the field. The need for AVT research to move beyond its comfort zone and engage in a more interdisciplinary dialogue has been pointed out, among others, by Pérez González (2019: 2).This conference aims to widen the research horizons of AVT to include not only Media and Television Studies, but also Localization and Computer Science, Translation Technology and Machine Translation.This international conference will provide a space for discussion and debate on the role and function of translators in the encounter/clash between tradition and innovation, between technology and human translation, between individual and collective translation practices. The symposium will explore the interaction between human and computer-assisted translation practices in the era of Machine Translation, Artificial Intelligence, and Cloud Dubbing and their impact on translation quality as well as translators’ life quality. For more information, click here Deadline for abstracts: 10 September

Transforming translation education through artificial intelligence In the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the rapid development of online education around the world, which has also brought enormous impact to the traditional classroom teaching model of translation and interpreting majors. Furthermore, the emergence of human-machine interactive language models represented by ChatGPT since the end of 2022 has set off a new wave of artificial intelligence, with AI-generated content (AIGC) poised to become a prominent method for content production. These developments present unprecedented opportunities and challenges for translation education. Against this backdrop, we hope to explore in this special issue the impact of technological breakthroughs in AI on translation education at the university level. Specifically, we seek to investigate: What goals and objectives of translation education should we achieve in the era of AI? How should translation educators adapt to this new trend and inspire innovation in curriculum and textbook design? How can students better learn AI-assisted translation technology to improve translation quality and efficiency? How can translation teachers use AI to innovate translation teaching methods and improve their teaching assessment and testing procedures? We also aim to explore the translation competence required for students and the career development for translation teachers to thrive in the era of AI, and examine how to navigate ethical issues and identity crises that arise from technological innovations in the teaching environment. We anticipate that this exploration will open up new avenues for exploring future directions and prospects in studies on translation education in the era of AI. With this ultimate goal in mind, we will welcome both theoretical and methodological reflections, as well as papers based on empirical approaches. Topics that could be addressed include, but are not limited to the following: Goals and objectives of translation education in the era of AI Translation curriculum and textbook design with the integration of AI technology AI-assisted teaching methods in translation education Assessment and testing in translation education in the era of AI Translation competence of students in the era of AI Career development for translation teachers in the era of AI Ethical issues arising from AI technology in translation education. For more information, click here Deadline for abstracts: 20 December 2023

The concept of ‘translation’ is ubiquitous in a wide range of disciplines, nowhere more so than in the Social Sciences – indeed, entire sociologies have been built on and around it (Callon 1981, 1984; Renn 2002, 2006). Similarly, the Social Sciences have always been a particularly important source of core concepts for Translation Studies, including ‘norm’, ‘role’, ‘habitus’, ‘system’, ‘profession’ and, more recently, ‘collaboration’, to name but a few. These ‘travelling concepts’ (Bal 2002) have always been of fundamental importance to Translation Studies in that they have underpinned the important shifts, or rather turns, within it. A closer look at how some of these travelling concepts are used in Translation Studies and, vice versa, how Translation Studies’ master concept ‘translation’ is used in the Social Sciences reveals that these have tended to be one-way trips. That is what this Special Issue attempts to reverse.               Concepts in the sense of Bal (2002: 11) are understood here as dynamic in themselves as well as polysemantic, often ambiguous, closely linked to certain discourses and not so much as firmly established univocal terms. Establishing univocal terms goes along with striving for terminological precision and standardization. This task is often pursued by traditional terminological approaches (Iveković Martinis et al. 2015). Concepts are not to be confused with casual words either as academic concepts always unite entire theories or approaches behind them which they represent (Bal 2002:33).                     ‘Translation’ is widely used in the Social Sciences. One of the most well‑known uses is certainly in Actor-Network-Theory (ANT) (Callon 1981, 1999; Latour 1993, 1994). ‘Translation’ is in fact an integral part of the lexicon and the very functioning of the theory. Broadly speaking, ‘translation’ is used there to bridge the separation between subjects and objects, and thus to overcome the dualism of sociologism and technologism. The act of translation between subjects and objects creates hybrid actors, which are the core component of networks in ANT. This theory was conceived of as a sociology of translation and/or the socio-logic of translation (Callon 1981, 1984). Though of a different kind, Renn’s (2002, 2006) sociology is similarly built on and around ‘translation’. Modern societies, fragmented as they are, depend on constant communication. Translation is essential to communication between societies’ various social and/or cultural units and therefore helps to overcome boundaries (Renn 2002, 2006). In the same sense, ‘translation’ is also used in Organization Studies in the model proposed by Carlile (2004), coming into play when a semantic boundary needs to be overcome within an organization to facilitate collaboration among various units for the sake of innovation. In yet another example from Organisation Studies, an entire translation model is developed as a way of bringing about and explaining organizational change (Czarniawska & Joerges 1996; Czarniawska & Sevón 2005). What unites these examples, with the exception of Renn (2002, 2006), is that there is not a single reference made to Translation Studies and the body of knowledge it has accumulated around ‘translation’. ‘Translation’ is a very successful travelling concept in the Social Sciences in the sense that it is widespread. However, since it is normally used as a rather loose metaphor, the concept itself frequently lacks the heuristic power it could have (Zwischenberger 2022, 2023). Translation Studies’ critical engagement with the uses of the concept of ‘translation’ in other disciplines and fields of research is a rather recent phenomenon (e.g. Baer 2020; Blumczynski 2016; Gambier & van Doorslaer 2016; Dizdar 2009; Heller 2017; Zwischenberger 2017, 2019). Translation Studies as an ‘interdiscipline’ sui generis has itself imported massively from other disciplines, especially from the Social Sciences, but it has frequently ignored the epistemological bases of those travelling concepts. The concepts of ‘role’ and ‘collaboration’ are two cases in point. Very often in Translation Studies, ‘role’ and ‘collaboration’ either remain undefined or are simply used as concepts from everyday language. In other words, ‘role’ is equated with the ‘task’ or ‘function’ of a translator or interpreter and ‘collaboration’ is simply used as a synonym for ‘working together’. Only recently has there been a more thorough engagement with these concepts and a turn to the disciplines in which they are used as master concepts, namely to Sociology, Social Psychology and Cultural Anthropology for ‘role’ and Organisation Studies for ‘collaboration’ (Zwischenberger 2015, 2022). The same is true of a conceptual engagement with ‘profession’ and consequently also the ‘(non‑)professional’, which are very often taken for granted in the Translation Studies literature (Grbić & Kujamäki 2019). However, Translation Studies has, for example, undertaken some serious conceptual work with the concepts of ‘norm’, ‘system’ and ‘habitus’, successfully integrating them as academic concepts (Buzelin 2018)—although with quite some differences between the different subfields of the discipline. Thus, whilst many disciplines pretty much ignore Translation Studies when it comes to ‘translation’ as a travelling concept, Translation Studies has sometimes also paid insufficient attention to the Social Sciences when adopting some of their travelling concepts. This has consequences for both Translation Studies and the Social Sciences. Travelling concepts can be vital tools for academic disciplines when properly adopted as academic concepts. Conceptual engagement lays bare the entire network within which a core concept is embedded, thus allowing a new and richer language to emerge. Ignoring the expertise that has been amassed on concepts newly adopted into a discipline hinders inter- and especially trans-disciplinarity. These travelling concepts would hardly make a round trip into the disciplines where they have an epistemological footing simply because doing so would bring no enrichment to them in their current form. This is particularly problematic for Translation Studies, a discipline that in general is less established than disciplines from the Social Sciences and beyond in terms of recognition and references being made to it outside its disciplinary borders. This Special Issue aims to tackle this status quo. It is crucial for Translation Studies scholars to become proactive in order to strengthen their own discipline from the inside out and to become more attractive to other disciplines. One promising way of strengthening Translation Studies could be to sharpen its conceptual tools, potentially enabling analytically precise concepts to travel back to the Social Sciences and beyond, thereby inviting other disciplines to take a closer look at Translation Studies and its expertise on the concept of ‘translation’. This could then act as the basis for some inter- or even trans-disciplinarity (e.g. Bielsa 2022) in the form of round trips by the concept of ‘translation’ and concepts from the Social Sciences. We therefore welcome conceptual-theoretical contributions that engage proactively with the uses of ‘translation’ as a travelling concept in other disciplines and/or with travelling concepts in Translation Studies and that address the following main questions (though we certainly do not remain restricted to them):   What does Translation Studies have to offer to approaches in the Social Sciences that use the concept of ‘translation’? Why is Translation Studies relatively ignored by other disciplines despite its expertise with the concept of ‘translation’? What do Social Sciences using the concept of ‘translation’ currently have to offer to Translation Studies? What does an engagement with the uses of ‘translation’ outside its disciplinary borders tell Translation Studies about its own conceptions of translation? Which travelling concepts from the Social Sciences or beyond have so far had the greatest lasting impact on Translation Studies and why? Which travelling concepts from the Social Sciences or beyond should be adopted by Translation Studies because they hold great potential and could thus guide the way forward for the discipline’s development? Is more sound conceptual work the way forward to enable Translation Studies to strengthen itself from the inside out? Are there alternative and better ways for Translation Studies to make itself more relevant to other disciplines? Please send your extended abstract (700-800 words, excluding references) to cornelia.zwischenberger@univie.ac.at by 31st August 2023. For more information, click here

Cultus is a Journal dedicated to Intercultural communication, and this will be the theme of Cultus 17. Yet, ‘culture’, as understood in anthropological rather than ideological terms has had rather a bad press. The concept has been widely criticized for being essentialist, for pigeonholing people and peoples into straitjacketed ways of being or doing and of meaning. The late great Michael Agar, anthropologist and member of the Cultus scientific committee, openly asked: “Culture: Can you take it anywhere?”; while another anthropologist lamented “”Everyone is into culture now” (Kuper 1999), meaning that the concept has been appropriated, as well as distorted, so that now “cultural translation” is more often understood as a site of tension, of power struggles between different discursive practices than the sort of translation that practicing translators and interpreters have to deal with. Yet, as Kyle Conway mentioned (2018) in his spirited ‘Putting Translation back in Cultural Translation’: “Translators are among the most culturally aware people I know, and the way they rewrite texts is anything but mechanical”.  So, in this cultural (re)turn we would like to focus on the “cultural” and the “translation” from a cross-linguistic perspective; highlighting cutting edge research, findings and even theoretical argumentation validating the importance in practice of translating and interpreting with culture in mind. We particularly welcome proposals focusing on new insights regarding intercultural communication and Translation Studies. For example: Practical research into the costs of not accounting for culture (The real benefits of) teaching intercultural communication in Translation and Interpreting courses Intercultural competences for translators/interpreters Contrastive grammars of culture How business and premium translation sectors perceive ‘culture’ The issue of essentialism in anthropological culture Public service or community interpreting and the real impact of ‘culture’ New, evolving ways of dealing with culture-bound language, discourse, such as hypertext, creative titling and the use of second screen Points of contact between cultural studies and language Deadline for abstracts: 1 December 2023 For more information, click here

INContext is a unique international and interdisciplinary journal that encourages innovative research in language-related subjects, including but not limited to technical or literary translation and conference interpretation as well as intercultural issues. Aim and Scope INContext is a collaborative journal bringing together the Korean Association for Public Sector Translation and Interpretation (KAPTI), the Language and Intercultural Studies Institute (LISI), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). INContext is a unique international and interdisciplinary journal that encourages innovative research in language-related subjects, including but not limited to technical, scientific and literary translation and conference interpretation as well as intercultural studies such as cultural studies, gender studies, race and cultural identity. INContext publishes original research articles with a theoretical, empirical or applied approach. Specifically, submissions will be appreciated to widen the scope of research; propose innovative research methodology; offer meta-reviews of theoretical formulations and prospects of different approaches; link translation studies with intercultural studies; and provide a macro perspective of issues we are already familiar with. In addition to the regular issues, proposals for special issues will be considered by the editor. Only quality papers that meet the standards of INContext will be reviewed. After an initial screening by the editor, all submissions will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review. While the official language of INContext is English, submissions in other languages will be considered by the editor. Guidelines for Contributors INContext welcomes articles relevant to the Aim and Scope of the Journal throughout the year. The submission instructions and guidelines can be found on the Journal’s Submissions page. Please contact our editorial staff regarding any further inquiries:INContext editorial team (journal.incontext@gmail.com). For more information, click here

Conference date: 15-16 Sep 2023 Organised by: School of English and International Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University Centre for Translation Studies, University of Leeds Host: School of English and International Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University Theme: Translation Education and Studies in the New Technological Context: Challenges and Opportunities Aims and scope: Translation and interpreting have played and will continue to play indispensable roles in various aspects of UK-China relations and people-to-people exchanges. In addition to the translation and interpreting activities in various forms linking bilateral relations and bridging peoples’ hearts and minds, the English/Chinese stream has been established and developed in dozens of translation and interpreting programmes in the UK and in hundreds of T&I programmes in China. Against this background the UK-China Symposium on Translation Studies is planned as a biannual conference co-organised by a China university and a UK university in order to promote exchanges among T&I scholars from both countries and to explore various aspects of Translation Studies and T&I education. The 1st UK-China Symposium on Translation Studies was successfully convened in University of Leeds on 16-17 Aug 2021. Selected papers from the conference have been published in Perspectives (SSCI and A&HCI), Asia Pacific Translation and Intercultural Studies (ESCI), Frontiers in Communication (ESCI). The 2nd UK-China Symposium on Translation Studies, jointly organised by Beijing Foreign Studies University and University of Leeds, will be held in Beijing Foreign Studies University on 15-16 Sep 2023. The conference will focus on the various topics related to recent technological developments, their application and impact in T&I education and studies, in which we hope to promote exchanges among educators and researchers in translation and interpreting studies between the two countries. All colleagues are welcome to join the conference to share their experience and ideas covering (not limited to) the following topics. Sub-themes: New technologies and their impact on T&I education and practice Technology-empowered T&I studies Interdisciplinary approaches to T&I studies Studies on T&I education in China and UK Studies on language-pair specificity, esp. those focusing on English/Chinese translation and interpreting Social value and impact of T&I studies Deadline for submissions: 1 Aug 2023 For more information, click here

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 humansTranslation and diversity: ethical issuesTranslation, pseudo-translation, self-translation: toward new paradigms? Translation and adaptation: the limits of translation Translation and interpretation: social contexts, crisis situationsTranslation and migration: movement, displacement, uprooting, confinement Post-translation and transmediality: new forms of translationTranslation 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 researchTerminology, AI, and NMT: the human contributionTerminology 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 For more information, click here

Im Mittelpunkt dieser Tagung soll die zumindest partielle Darstellung einer oder mehrerer Translationskulturen (Prunč 2008) der DDR stehen, um so bisherige Erkenntnisse zu Translation in der DDR abstrahieren und zusammenfassen zu können. Dabei soll der Fokus vermehrt auf dem Fachübersetzen liegen, um einen möglichst vollständigen Blick auf eine Translationskultur zu erhalten, der in der bisherigen Forschung vor allem auf das literarische Feld gerichtet war.Beiträge können sich beispielsweise der Translationspolitik der DDR als Staat sowie einzelner Organisationen innerhalb der DDR widmen und dabei untersuchen, inwieweit die politische Lage während des Bestehens der DDR zu einem veränderten Translationsaufkommen führte; die Motive hinter den zu beobachtenden Translationspolitiken sind ebenso entscheidend wie die Auswirkungen auf eine Translationskultur. Daran anknüpfend ergibt sich die Frage nach Beziehungen der DDR zu anderen Ländern oder Institutionen, die durch Translation entstanden und aufrechterhalten wurden. Hierbei sind nicht nur bilaterale Beziehungen etwa zur BRD gemeint, sondern ebenso institutionelle Netzwerke wie die Einbettung in (inter)nationale Berufsverbände und Organisationen. Dabei soll die tatsächliche Translationspraxis nicht außer Acht gelassen werden, die einen großen Teil einer Translationskultur bildet und ebenso als Teil diverser Netzwerke verstanden werden kann.Wir laden Sie herzlich ein, Beiträge zu diesen oder verwandten Fragestellungen einzureichen:• Translationspolitik der DDR und/oder Institutionen in der DDR: Was wurde übersetzt? Wer waren die daran beteiligten Personen? Welche Motive standen hinter den Translationspolitiken? Welche Auswirkungen hatten sie auf die Institutionen selbst sowie die Berufspraxis? Inwiefern waren sie von der politischen Lage beeinflusst?• Translatorische Beziehungen und Netzwerke der DDR und/oder Institutionen in der DDR: Welche translatorischen Beziehungen bestanden zu anderen Staaten und/oder Institutionen national wie international? Wodurch entstanden diese Beziehungen? Welche Rolle nahmen die Beziehungen und Netzwerke ein?• Translationspraxis: Wie waren die Arbeitsbedingungen von Übersetzer*innen und Dolmetscher*innen und wodurch wurden diese beeinflusst? Welche Rolle spielten Berufsverbände für die Berufspraxis?Eine stückweise Aufarbeitung einer Translationskultur beinhaltet selbstverständlich die Einbeziehung von Fallbeispielen, vor allem in dem Sinne, dass Fallbeispiele als Ausgangspunkt für weiterführende Fragestellungen sowie schlussendlich zu einer Abstraktion von Erkenntnissen dienen sollen, um allgemeinere Aussagen über eine Translationskultur treffen zu können.Wir bitten um Einreichung von Abstracts bis zum 15. Juli 2023 unter hanna.blum@uni-graz.at. Abstracts sollten eine Länge von maximal 300 Wörtern haben und können auf Deutsch oder Englisch verfasst sein. Für Vortragende fallen keine Tagungsgebühren an. Die Tagung findet vor Ort statt. Änderungen sind vorbehalten. The conference will focus on the representation of one or more translation cultures (Prunč 2008) of the GDR, with the aim of summarizing previous research and gaining a comprehensive understanding of translation in the GDR. The focus will be primarily on specialized translation, which has been overlooked in previous studies that have primarily focused on the literary field, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of translation in the GDR.Contributions are welcome on topics such as the translation policy of the GDR as a state as well as of individual organizations in the GDR, examining the extent to which the political situation during the GDR’s existence led to an increase in translation activities; the motives behind the translation policies to be observed are just as crucial as the effects on a translation culture. Following on from this is the question of relations between the GDR and other countries or institutions that were established and maintained through translation. This does not only include bilateral relations with the FRG, for example, but also institutional networks such as the involvement in (inter)national professional associations and organizations. Furthermore, we encourage an examination of the actual practice of translation, as it forms a significant part of translational culture and can be understood within diverse networks.We invite you to submit contributions on these topics or related issues:• Translation policy of the GDR and/or institutions in the GDR: What was translated? Who were the individuals involved in the translation process? What were the motives behind the translation policies? What effects did these policies have on the institutions and professional practice? To what extent were they influenced by the political situation?• Translational relations and networks of the GDR and/or institutions in the GDR: What translational relations existed with other states and/or institutions on a national and international level? How did these relationships develop? What roles did these relations and networks play?• Translation practice: What were the working conditions of translators and interpreters and how were they influenced? What role did professional organizations play in shaping professional practices?Investigating translation cultures always also includes insights derived from case studies, especially in the sense that they serve as a starting point for further questions and ultimately contribute to the abstraction of findings, enabling researchers to make more general statements about the respective translation culture.Please send your abstracts of no more than 300 words to hanna.blum@uni-graz.at by 15 July 2023. The abstracts can be written in English or German. There is no conference fee for presenters. The conference will be held on site. Please note that the details are subject to change without notice.

Round trips wanted! Travelling concepts between Translation Studies and the Social Sciences, and beyond Submission deadline: 31 August 2023 Text: We welcome conceptual-theoretical contributions that engage proactively with the uses of ‘translation’ as a travelling concept in other disciplines and/or with travelling concepts in Translation Studies and that address the following main questions (though we certainly do not remain restricted to them): What does Translation Studies have to offer to approaches in the Social Sciences that use the concept of ‘translation’? Why is Translation Studies relatively ignored by other disciplines despite its expertise with the concept of ‘translation’? What do Social Sciences using the concept of ‘translation’ currently have to offer to Translation Studies? What does an engagement with the uses of ‘translation’ outside its disciplinary borders tell Translation Studies about its own conceptions of translation? Which travelling concepts from the Social Sciences or beyond have so far had the greatest lasting impact on Translation Studies and why? Which travelling concepts from the Social Sciences or beyond should be adopted by Translation Studies because they hold great potential and could thus guide the way forward for the discipline’s development? Is more sound conceptual work the way forward to enable Translation Studies to strengthen itself from the inside out? Are there alternative and better ways for Translation Studies to make itself more relevant to other disciplines?   Please send your extended abstract (700-800 words, excluding references) to cornelia.zwischenberger@univie.ac.at. Further Information: https://transcultcom.univie.ac.at/news-and-events/news-detail/news/call-for-papers-special-issue-of-translation-in-society/

Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Dr. Sophie Fuggle, Nottingham Trent University, Dr. Amina Zarzi, University of Oxford. 2023 marks the 150th anniversary of Jules Verne’s Le Tour du monde en 80 jours (Around the World in 80 Days), first published in book form in 1873. While Verne’s text remains celebrated for its depiction of swashbuckling adventure (as evidenced in a recent adaptation for British television), the Western, colonial and racist bias of this work appear obvious in hindsight. Verne’s 19th century depiction of travel, participation and agency depended on various processes of inclusion and exclusion both within and beyond the métropole which took place in a context of racialised colonisation in these realms. Such considerations provide a springboard for the theme of this year’s conference, which focuses on questions encompassing travel writing, inclusion and exclusion in voluntary, forced, temporary and permanent migration as expressed in Francophone texts across a variety of time periods. How have depictions of travel mutated since the period in which Verne was writing? Which legacies of inclusion and exclusion from colonial periods remain, or have reversed, in 21st century postcolonial writing? How has the writing of travel contributed to the formation of discourses of knowledge, such as those now being explored under the banner of the medical humanities? This is an interdisciplinary call for papers, inviting contributions from researchers working across all fields of languages, cultures and societies. We welcome proposals for papers and panels on topics including, but not limited to: Travel writing and transport Disability and travel Travel and time  Bodily inclusion/exclusion in travel Travel and medical considerations/health Travel and trauma Geographical inclusion/exclusion Travel, writing, and genre  Transnational discovery Travel and language Please send abstracts of 250-300 words plus 50-100 words of biography to Conference Secretary, Dr. Christopher Hogarth (SFPS2023@yahoo.com). Papers can be in English or French. The deadline for receipt of abstracts is: 16 July 2023. This year’s conference will be held in person  The Society is committed to providing support for Early Career Researchers and will hold a dedicated ECR event in the conference programme, details of which will be available at a later stage. For more information, click here

The early modern period was a time of burgeoning diplomatic activity on the European continent characterized by the spread of resident diplomacy and the appearance of peace congresses. Linguistic practices were changing dramatically as well, including Latin, German and Italian progressively overshadowed by French as a pan-European medium of diplomacy. All these developments had a considerable impact on translation in diplomacy, affecting its functioning and role in various ways: translation departments were formed or expanded and redesigned, and the need to train translators in order to increase efficiency of foreign policy began to be felt by major powers. This eventually resulted in the foundation of schools for would-be translators and diplomats, and the development of various practices such as the linguistic training of »giovanni de lingua« or »jeunes de langues«. These innovations allowed early modern diplomacy to cope, at least to a certain degree, with an important increase in diplomatic contacts which led to an ever-growing diplomatic correspondence. However, some of these initiatives, such as the foundation of specialized schools, have been short-lived and have not led to sustainable results. Living and working in a multilingual and multicultural environment, translators often were cultural brokers with hybrid cultural identities. We would like to adopt a transnational and interdisciplinary viewpoint and consider the subject on the basis of new primary sources in the broad context of the development of translation and the evolution of diplomacy in the early modern period. The questions which are of interest for the workshop include, but are not limited to the following: • Traditions and innovations in the organization of diplomatic translation services; • State and non-state actors and the formation of policies regarding translation in diplomacy; • The role of translation in diplomats’ careers; • Early modern institutions and practices for training translators and interpreters; • (Hybrid) Identities of interpreters and translators and their role as cultural brokers; • Lack of translating personnel and attempts to bypass such difficulties; • Accuracy of translations and problems resulting from translators’ incompetence in diplomacy; • Distrust of translators and interpreters, translation and secrecy in diplomacy, translators as negotiators; • Translation in diplomatic relations with non-European powers; • The role of translators in the formation of diplomatic, political and juridical terminology in vernacular languages. Deadline for abstracts: 15 September 2023 For more information, click here    

We invite proposals for a special guest-edited issue of JoSTrans to be published in January 2026. JoSTrans, The Journal of Specialised Translation, is an electronic, openaccess peer-reviewed journal bringing non-literary translation issues tothe fore. Published bi-annually since 2004, it includes articles, reviews and streamed interviews by translation scholars and professionals. The journal is indexed with the main humanities bibliographies, including Scopus (Q1, CiteScore 4.2) and Web of Science/JCR (Q2, IF = 1.561). We publish two issues per year: a non-thematic issue and a special guest-edited issue. We invite proposals for a call which deals with any novel area or aspect of specialised translation which have not been covered yet by the journal (for previous special issues see http://jostrans.org/archive.php). In particular, we are interested in calls which address: • AI and translation/interpreting; • financial/business translation; • translation and politics / politics of translation; translation and Global North & Global South; • medical translation; • interpreting and specialised domains; • translation and diversity; • methodologies of researching specialised translation. The proposal should include: • a topic • a brief presentation of the topic • names of guest editors and their editing expertise • if you propose a closed call, please provide names of contributors and titles of papers. Please send your call to the editor-in-chief Łucja Biel at ed@jostrans.org with the subject line JoSTrans Call for calls Issue 45 by 1 November 2023. The decision will be communicated by the end of November 2023. For more information, click here