Black Feminist Theory and Practice in the Translation Classroom

The problem of racial inequities in translation education is often addressed through the framework of diversity and inclusion, which calls for greater access to higher education institutions for people of color. Such a framework, however, largely leaves in place the racist structures and practices at the heart of institutions themselves. This talk will explore how the work of Black feminist intellectuals and activists can be leveraged instead for a more transformational approach to translation education. In particular, the talk returns to the Combahee River Collective’s articulation in the 1970s of the concept of “identity politics,” which has since undergone a series of distortions that have placed emphasis on identity over politics. Revisiting identity politics in its early sense in regard to translation theory and practice allows for a situated politics that reconsiders not only who translates but also what, why, how, and for whom. This talk will explore how these reconsiderations can be incorporated into translation pedagogy.