Paper 24

Questions in the sociology of translation

This paper welcomes the current interest in a sociological approach in Translation Studies, as a way of focusing on part of the wider context of translation. Three sub-areas are distinguished: the sociology of translations as products, the sociology of translators, and the sociology of the translation process. Some current sociological models are outlined, and the notion of a ‘translation practice’ is introduced as a central component in a sociological approach. Actor Network Theory is outlined as a potentially useful framework, and a number of possible research questions are suggested.