A World of Translation

International PhD course
 

The Research School of Regional Studies
Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen
Copenhagen, 30 - 31 May, 2011

Since the 1970s cultural studies have taken a "textual turn" just as textual studies have taken a "cultural turn", and translation studies are and have been at the very centre of this interdisciplinary nexus. Since this "turn" in scholarship, translation no longer implies the reformulating of an "original" in a different language or the search for equivalence (linguistic features); it also involves often unstated and unconscious and historically contingent cultural and political assumptions that determine the choice and mode of adaptation of words, regimes or hierarchies of knowledge, things and, in many cases, lives.

The international PhD course "A World of Translation" aims to address issues of translation in the very broadest of senses and from theoretical, empirical and historical viewpoints. The underlying question will be: "What happens when people, things, texts, ideas move or are moved from one geo-cultural area to another or move within one geo-cultural area?" Things seldom move on their own; they are moved and translated (relocated) by actors or agents of change often within asymmetrical power/authority constellations.

We invite the participants to explore the relevance of this broad concept of translation to their projects and to investigate the possibilities this new perspective may open for their work no matter which discipline they may come from.

Invited keynote speakers:
Professor Susan Bassnett, University of Warwick, UK
Professor Wong Wang Chi, Lawrence, University of Hong Kong

Organizers (contact for further information):
Kirsten Thisted, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen
Denise Gimpel, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen
Yoichi Nagashima, Professor, University of Copenhagen

Format:
Two-day workshop with invited speakers and workshop for PhD students, max 15 participants. The workshop will consist of presentation of papers from the PhD students with response from the invited speakers and the organizers. PhD students are invited to submit papers (8 - 15 pages).

Readings:
All participants are required to prepare for the course by reading the texts from the reading list (approximately 1000 pages). Texts will be uploaded at the website.

ECTS-points:
PhD students will be granted 3,2 ECTS for participation with paper and 1,7 ECTS without paper.

Deadlines:
Deadline for registration: 1 March, 2011
Deadline for abstracts: 10 March, 2011
Deadline for papers: 1 April, 2011

Venue:
Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (more details to follow)