Translating Women: breaking borders and building bridges in the English-language book industry

31 October 2019, 9.15am - 1 November 2019, 8.00pm
Institute of Modern Languages Research
Conference / Symposium
Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU
Olga Castro, University of Warwick
Helen Vassallo, University of Exeter
Margaret Carson , City University New York
Nicky Harman ,
Rosalind Harvey , University of Warwick
Aysun Kiran , Marmara University
Jean Anderson, Victoria University of Wellington
Aviya Kushner, Columbia College Chicago
Clémence Scalbert Yücel, (Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter
Yaser Ali , (Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter
Farangis Ghaderi , Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter
Rinat Harel, (Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter
Eva Moreda, University of Glasgow
Catherine Davies , Institute of Modern Languages Research
Éva Cserháti ,
Richard Mansell, University of Exeter
Anna Menyhért, University of Jewish Studies, Budapest
Négar Djavadi ,
Ariana Harwicz ,
Godela Weiss-Sussex , University of Cambridge and IMLR
Chantal Wright , University of Warwick
Margaret Carson , City University New York
Meytal Radzinski , Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Salwa Benaissa , City University of London
Nadia Georgiou , University of Surrey
Oisin Harris ,
Muireann Maguire , University of Exeter
Şule Akdoğan, University of Warwick
Corine Tachtiris, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Olivia Hellewell, University of Nottingham
Pâmela Berton Costa , São Paulo State University (UNESP)
Monica Manolachi, University of Bucharest
Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
Leticia de la Paz , University of Almería
María Ayete , University of Salamanca
Carolina Orloff , University of Edinburgh
Annie McDermott,
Keynote speaker:
Dr Margaret Carson, co-founder of the Women in Translation tumblr
Translated literature notoriously accounts for only 3.5% of published literature in the English-language book market, and less than one-third of this is women-authored. Women writers in translation occupy a difficult border space in literature, variously affected by lack of recognition in their home country, fewer women being entered for literary prizes, and less criticism and column space dedicated to women writers. Yet, recent phenomena such as Kamila Shamsie’s call for a ‘Year of Publishing Women’, Meytal Radzinski’s advocacy of ‘Women in Translation month’ each August, and the creation of the Women in Translation Tumblr and the ‘Warwick Prize for Women in Translation’ indicate the urgency of confronting the lack of gender equality in the English-language publishing industry with regard to translated literature.
This conference will explore the circuits of translation of women-authored literature into English, with the aim of promoting synergies between academic and publishing contexts. By questioning the power dynamics of the English-language book industry, it seeks to offer fresh insights into the cultural, social, economic and political implications of making foreign women writers available to English-speaking readers, considering where ‘borders’ lie in translated literature, and how and why women might destabilise them. Our feminist perspective challenges the lack of recognition and influence of women writers, and our transnational and geopolitical focus encourages a cross-cultural understanding already fostered by translation and by the pioneering work of organisations such as English PEN and Literature Across Frontiers. We aim to break through ‘borders’ – both real and figurative – and build ‘bridges’ between research areas and industry initiatives, bringing together representatives from all key groups of stakeholders to discuss and redress the imbalance affecting women writers in translation.
Programme (pdf)
Registration
Registration for the conference is now closed. Registration is still open for the two evening events: 'Authors and translators in conversation':
Two special 'In Conversation' events will be held on Thursday and Friday evenings (details below). If you would like to attend these in addition to the conference, please follow this link.
For hotel suggestions visit: modernlanguages.sas.ac.uk/events/where-stay
Freelancer tickets
The conference offered a limited number of free places for freelance translators on a first come, first serve basis. Unfortunately, no more of these places are available.
Authors and translators in conversation
We are delighted to include as part of the programme two events with acclaimed women writers and their translators which are free and open to all, but registration is essential.
Thursday
Author Négar Djavadi (Disoriental, 2018) and translator Tina Kover.
Friday
Author Ariana Harwicz (Die, My Love, 2017; Feebleminded, 2019), and translators Carolina Orloff and Annie McDermott.
Click here for more details about the evening talks.
Organisers
Dr Olga Castro (University of Warwick), co-editor of Feminist Translation Studies (Routledge, 2017).
Dr Helen Vassallo (University of Exeter), principal investigator of the Translating Women project.
This event is organised by the Institute of Modern Languages Research, Aston University and the University of Exeter, and is supported by the Cassal Trust. It is part of the Open World Research Initiative (OWRI) Cross-Language Dynamics: Reshaping Community, Translingual Strand. You can find out more about the OWRI project by visiting our website or following us on Twitter.
University statement on Senate House protests