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Organizer: Federico Zanettin Group members: Anna Baldinetti, Diana Bianchi, Giuseppina Bonerba, Enrico Caniglia, Francesca Piselli, Fausto Proietti, Valentina Sommella, Manuel Vaquero |
Translation, as an interdisciplinary research theme, is at the core of this research project. The research group subscribes to a broad definition of translation as a process of selection, elaboration and appropriation of cultural theories and objects in a global context. The study of the circulation, exchange and transformation of ideas and information through space and time is the study of the routes followed by translated textual and cultural products and of the social, historical and political contexts which shape intercultural communication. The study of translations as cultural objects is carried out from a range of perspectives, linguistic, semiotic, textual, historical, political, social and communicative.
Research focuses on three main areas: first, the interlinguistic translation of political texts, which is one of the main modalities for the exchange of ideas, concepts and lexis. The approach is here partly that of translation criticism, and partly that of historical and political analysis, which sees translation as a tool of political discussion, and investigates the transformation of political language through the “inclusion” within a new linguistic and cultural context of texts conceived in a different context.
A second area is represented by the translation of popular texts, intended both as popular fiction and science popularization. Of specific interest is the translation of popular genres in written, drawn and audiovisual texts, which, historically, have often been the target of control strategies and censorship, and of texts related to new technologies which may promote social and economic development.
A third area concerns the study of translation practices within processes of production and distribution of cultural and political information relating to international relations and intercultural exchanges, with reference both to mainstream media and to other social actors (lobbies, activists, private and institutional sources). This area focuses on political and social news media texts from a variety of sources, including newspapers, commercial media, and citizens media.