Constructing a Sociology of Translation

The view of translation as a socially regulated activity has opened up a broad field of research in the last few years. This volume deals with central questions of the new domain and aims to contribute to the conceptualisation of a general sociology of translation. Interdisciplinary in approach, it discusses the role of major representatives of sociology like Pierre Bourdieu, Bruno Latour, Bernard Lahire, Anthony Giddens or Niklas Luhmann in establishing a theoretical framework for a sociology of translation. Drawing on methodologies from sociology and integrating them into translation studies, the book questions some of the established categories in this discipline and calls for a redefinition of long-assumed principles. The contributions show the social involvement of translation in various fields and focus especially on the translator’s position in an emerging sociology of translation, Bourdieu’s influence in conceptualising this new sub-discipline, methodological questions and a sociologically oriented meta-discussion of translation studies.

Hilal Erkazanci Durmus, in Translation Ireland, 18:2 - Community Interpreting in Ireland and Abroad:
Constructing a Sociology of Translation is an important contribution to the improvement of the conjunction of translation studies and sociology on a methodological basis. What is distinctive about this book is that it draws on the theories of significant sociologists in setting up a theoretical framework for a sociology of translation. The originality of the book stems from its interdisciplinary approach that helps the reader scrutinise the translator's position in a nascent sociology of translation. Each article is smart, cogent and thorough, and the volume will most certainly become a key text in helping scholars navigate a sociologically inspired meta-discussion of translation studies. [...] All in all, Constructing a Sociology of Translation is a rich source of theory and practice regarding an emerging sociology of translation studies. It is very well written and easy to read. It will be extremely useful as a reliable source of information for students and scholars in translation studies, besides being of interest to anyone who is curious about sociology.