Robinson Douglas. Translation and Empire

Abingdon: Routledge, 2014. — vi, 131 p. — (Translation Theories Explained). — ISBN: 978-1-900650-08-3.Arising from cultural anthropology in the late 1980s and early 1990s, postcolonial translation theory is based on the observation that translation has often served as an important channel of empire. Douglas Robinson begins with a general presentation of postcolonial theory, examines current theories of the power differentials that control what gets translated and how, and traces the historical development of postcolonial thought about translation. He also explores the negative and positive impact of translation in the postcolonial context, reviewing various critiques of postcolonial translation theory and providing a glossary of key words. The result is a clear and useful guide to some of the most complex and critical issues in contemporary translation studies.Postcolonial Studies, Translation Studies
Translation and empire
What does postcolonial mean?
The rise of postcolocial theory
Hegemony, subjectification and interpellation
Language, place and self
Beyond nationalism: migrant and border cultures
Power Differentials
Translating across power differentials
Disproportionate translations
‘Inscrutable’ texts
Stereotypes
Writing for translation
Theorizing across power differentials
Translation as Empire: The Theoretical Record
Emperors and displaced populations
The sublimation of empire: Cicero and Horace
Translatio Imperii et Studii
Taking the original captive
Translation and empire
Translation and the Impact of Colonialism
Eric Cheyfitz and the colonization of the New World
Repression and hierarchy
Projection
Eloquence and dialogue
Property
Centre and periphery
Niranjana and the British interpellation of India
Rafael and the Spanish conversion of the Tagalogs
The hierarchy of languages
Confession
Resistance, Redirection, and Retranslation
Tejaswini Niranjana and retranslation
Vicente Rafael and mistranslation
Samia Mehrez and métissés
Criticisms