Research Models in Translation Studies II

The first Research Models in Translation Studies conference was held ten years ago. It provided a forum for divergent approaches, theories, objectives, terminologies and procedures; it engaged with a range of old and new manifestations of translation and interpreting and took account of the impact of globalisation, interdisciplinarity and geopolitical developments on research in the field. Research Models in Translation Studies II seeks to take stock of developments on these and other fronts ten years on.

The enlargement of the remit of translation and interpreting studies has continued apace, as has the diversification of research models and methods. New media, including news media, the use of modern technologies in sign language interpreting and complex forms of audiovisual and multimodal translation have proved both challenging and enriching. The accelerated pace of migration, globalisation and violent conflict have called for cross-disciplinary and self-reflexive modes of research. Technology informs not just the practice but also research into translation and interpreting. Research training remains a pressing issue.

Like its predecessor, Research Models in Translation Studies II will provide a forum for engaging with questions of current import. What are the key challenges for research in translation and interpreting today? What concrete forms do cross-disciplinarity and self-reflexiveness take in research? As the scope of the discipline widens, what happens to existing research models and what alternatives present themselves? Should researchers seek common ground, be it theoretical, methodological or ideological, or celebrate ever-increasing diversity? What paradigms have proved or promise to be most productive today?