Conferences

Gendering Agency and Activism in Translation and Interpreting

University of Ferrara, Italy, 6-7 June 2022

TRANSLATIONFEST II

Call for Papers  

The main aim of this hybrid Colloquium (in person and online) – which has shifted venue from edition to edition since 2016 – is to periodically offer an overview of the latest trends in the research on translation and gender around the world, with special emphasis on its cross-pollination with a number of disciplines, including but not limited to Translation Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Cultural and Media Studies, Sociology, Politics, Linguistics and Literary Criticism. Besides its overview of the growing diversity of research (both theoretical and practical) on translation and gender/sexuality/equality, the 5th edition of this Colloquium will have a thematic orientation focused on the role played by translation and interpreting as agents of resistance to and change of the dynamics between gender and power in society.  

The alliance between feminism(s) and translation has fostered the development of studies centred around agency and performativity of the individual, the translator or the interpreter and their role in society. In the 21^st century, both feminism(s) and translation have become privileged spaces of agency, activism and resistance, thus becoming central to the identification and analysis of the strategies of subordination used to exercise social, political and cultural power.  

Starting from the work by Rebecca Ruth Gould and Kayvan Tahmasebian, The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Activism (2017), we intend to develop further the notion of the translator/interpreter as activist, namely as champion of political change, advocate of gender equality, promoter of gender diversity, voice-giver and helper of minorities, migrants and refugees, and agent of change capable of putting “into words the perspectives and experiences of oppressed and silenced peoples”. Our reflection also follows in the footsteps of Olga Castro and Emek Ergun’s research on Feminist Translation Studies. Local and Transnational Perspectives (2017) in order to widen the discussion on the interplay between feminist translation, agency and activism as academic fields of enquiry. 

The Colloquium aims at making visible the important role of interpreters and translators in: 1) promoting and enabling social, political and cultural change around the world; 2) promoting equality; 3) fighting discrimination; 4) supporting gender diversity; 5) supporting human rights; 6) empowering minorities; 7) challenging authority and injustice not only across European countries but all over the world; 8) facilitating network-building activities among activists and agents of change and 8) teaching feminist translation as a pedagogical act in support of social and gender equality. 

We are aware that translation is a powerful tool capable of producing social, political and cultural transformation. Thus, the Colloquium wants to open a forum of discussion and reflection on the contribution offered by practitioners, stakeholders and scholars to the study of translation as activism and agent of change.  

Practical arrangements 

Colloquium format: in person (University of Ferrara) and online 

Presentations: in the form of Papers (a 20-minute presentation + a 10-minute discussion) 

Official languages: presentations will be in English and Spanish 

Abstract evaluation: double-blind and peer-reviewed.  

Abstracts should be sent (to translationfest2022@gmail.com) as MS-Word attachments and include:  

• -  Name(s) of author(s)  
• -  Author affiliation(s) – university or institution, e-mail 
• -  Title  
• -  Abstract (up to 250 words)  

-  3-4 keywords to identify the subject matter of your presentation  

Following the colloquium, presenters will be invited to contribute to a publication in English (volume of essays). More information will be circulated in due time. 

Key dates 

Deadline for submission of abstracts: 15 April 2022 

Notification of acceptance: 30 April 2022

Confirmed plenary speakers 

Eliana Maestri, University of Exeter 

Lupe Romero, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 

José Santaemilia, Universitat de València 

Conference organisers 

Università di Ferrara: Eleonora Federici, Giulia Giorgi, Luisa Marino and Marta Fabbri 

University of Exeter: Eliana Maestri 

Universitat de Valencia: José Santaemilia. 

11th-14th May 2021 

The seminars, discussed a wide range of topical subjects to date and were designed to reflect on the interlinks between the theory and practice of translation and to celebrate the richness and complexity of Translation Studies as an inter-discipline. Prominent speakers included academic scholars spread around the world (from the UK to Australia and back to Italy, Belgium, Spain and the US!), translators of international calibre operating in Italy and multicultural writers as self-translators. Translation Fest was jointly organised by the University of Exeter, UK (Dr Eliana Maestri) and the University of Ferrara, Italy (Prof. Eleonora Federici and Dr Giulia Giorgi) and supported financially by Exeter Global Partnerships (2020-21 Outward Mobility Academic Fellowship), POT Uni-Sco (Piano di Orientamento e Tutorato) and the Humanities at Ferrara (Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici). Translation Fest was hosted by the Centre for Translating Cultures, the University of Exeter.  

rich programme