Call for Papers
Call for Contributions for
the Special Issue of New Voices in Translation Studies 2026 (Volume 31, Issue 3)
Translation as Resistance, Resilience and Activism: Voices from Palestine and Beyond
Introduction
Translation as Resistance, Resilience and Activism: Voices from Palestine and Beyond is a Special Issue that delves into the confluence of translation, conflict and activism while underscoring the critical role that translation plays in resisting dominant ideologies, fostering global solidarity and amplifying marginalized voices in contexts of Palestine and beyond. Seeking to synthesize insights from diverse disciplines, this Special Issue aims at emphasizing the transformative power which translation and interpreting can exert in shaping narratives of resistance, resilience and solidarity.
Contributors are invited to tackle a vast array of mediums, including religious-political documents, poetry, resistance songs, literature, diaries and digital platforms, with the view of unveiling the activist dimensions of translation. They will ideally investigate themes such as the sociopolitical dynamics of translating during conflicts, the preservation of indigenous narratives and the ethical complexities translators face when navigating colonial and geopolitical tensions. The Special Issue welcomes articles that propose actionable frameworks using emerging technologies and formats.
Book reviews of academic works on Palestine recently published are also very welcome.
Rationale
Activism and Translation are at the core of recent research. Malaka Shwaikh (2020) wrote on the Gaza Strip has highlighted how speaking a different language in a war-zone emphasised the power of witness and the importance of translating the voices of the oppressed. Mona Baker pioneered the movement of translators’ activism in the Arabic-speaking region through many seminal publications (2006, 2020 et al). Others have drawn critical attention to the social and political weight translation can exert on reshaping the worldviews. While the ‘activist turn’ of translation has been a key area of research for decades (Wolf, 2012) we are interested to know: where is ‘the activist turn’ relating to translation and Palestine now? What is translated? By whom? Via which formats? How do qualitative changes in Arabic and other languages due to globalization and technology (O'Brien, 2011; O'Hagan, 2011; Brabham, 2013; Jiménez-Crespo, 2017; Daoudi, 2017; Krimat, 2021) impact on narratives of resistance, resilience and activisms on Palestine and beyond?
This special issue title ‘Translation as Resistance, Resilience and Activism: Voices from Palestine and Beyond’ aims to delve into the multifaceted role of translation, including activist translation and interpreting, activities fostering resilience and resistance for justice and survival.
List of Topic Areas
- Translation as Political Activism:
- The use of translation to challenge dominant state narratives and advocate for marginalized perspectives in conflict zones.
- Translation as means for resistance, advocacy and amplification of silenced voices.
- Solidarity and Indigeneity:
- Translating indigenous and resistance narratives to foster global solidarity.
- Highlighting the shared struggles of Palestinians and other indigenous communities through mediums like songs, poetry, literature and other creative expressions
- Decolonization and Postcolonial Perspectives
- The role of translation in decolonizing narratives, (Arabic and other languages)
- Ethical considerations in preserving the cultural and political integrity of texts.
- Innovative Technologies in Activist Translation:
- The integration of AI and Web 3.0 in humanitarian translation to address challenges like censorship, scalability and transparency.
- The evolving role of technology in fostering global activism and solidarity, especially within contexts of Palestine.
- Cultural Preservation and Literary Translation:
- Translating literature and poetry to maintain cultural identity and address geopolitical tensions.
- Strategies for activist translation that avoid neutrality and inspire action.
- Ethics and Ideology in Translation:
- Ethical dilemmas and ideological pressures in translating texts during conflicts.
- Translators’ choices and their impact on narratives of resistance and liberation.
Guest Editors
Dr Noureddine Krimat, University of Mila, ALGERIA noureddine.krimat@fulbrightmail.org
Dr Anissa Daoudi, University of Birmingham, England, UK a.daoudi@bham.ac.uk
Formats of Contributions
New Voices in Translation Studies provides an inclusive and supportive platform for emerging scholars, while maintaining high academic rigor and readability. Guided by its founding principles, the journal continues to bridge the gap between new and established researchers, encouraging innovative and well-grounded contributions across all areas of translation studies.
In line with this mission, the special issue welcomes a wide range of submissions that reflect the diversity of the field and its evolving practices. The accepted formats encompass full papers, book reviews, thesis abstracts and interviews that align with the topic areas listed above.
Submit your abstract and/or proposals of 500 words (excluding references) by 22nd Feb. 2026. Please include in the title of submission: Special Issue: Palestine and beyond
Abstract Submission link: https://newvoices.arts.chula.ac.th/index.php/en/submission
Timeline
Abstract/proposal: 22 February 2026
Invitation to contribute: 1 March 2026
Full paper submission: 31 May 2026*
Peer Review results: 31 August 2026
Submission of revised article: 1 October 2026
Publication: December 2026
*For more detailed information about the format of articles, please visit the author guidelines via the link: https://newvoices.arts.chula.ac.th/index.php/en/about/submissions#authorGuidelines
References:
Baker, M. (2006).”Translation and activism. Emerging patterns of narrative community.” The Massachusetts Review, 47(3), 462-484.
Baker, M. (2020). Translation and solidarity in the century with no future: prefiguration vs. aspirational translation. Palgrave Communications Vol. 6, 1-10.
Boeri, J., & Delgado Luchner, C. (2020). "Ethics of Activist Translation and Interpreting." In K. Koskinen, & N. Pokorn, The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Ethics. London: Routledge, 245- 261, London: Routledge.
Brabham, D. (2013). Crowdsourcing. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Daoudi, A. (2017). "Rethinking Arabic Linguistics: The History of the Internet in the Arabic-Speaking Region and the Rise of e-Arabic." In G. Goggin, & M. McLelland, The Routledge Companion to Global Internet Histories, 227-243. London: Routledge.
Jiménez-Crespo, M. (2017). Crowdsourcing and Online Collaborative Translations. Amsterdam/Philadelphie: John Benjamins.
Krimat, N. (2021). "The challenge of Quality Management in crowdsourced translation: The case of the NGO translators without borders. "QScience Connect, 2021(3), 1-12.
Morgner, C., & Aldreabi, H. (2020). "Media events and translation: The case of the Arab Spring." Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research, 13(3), 133-153.
O'Brien, S. (2011). "Collaborative Translation". In C. Verela, & F. Bartrina, Routledge Handbook of Translation Studies, 7-20. London: Routledge.
O'Hagan, M. (2011). Community Translation: Translation as a social activity and its possible consequences in the advent of Web 2.0 and beyond. Linguistica Antverpiensia 10 (1), 11-23.
Olohan, M. (2014). "Why do you translate? Motivation to volunteer and TED translation." Translation Studies, 7 (1), 17-33.
Shwaikh, M. (2020) "Translation in the War Zone: the Gaza Strip as Cast Study" In Gould. R and Tahmasebian, K. The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Activism, 129-143. London: Routledge.
Wolf, M. (2012). The sociology of translation and its “activist turn”. Translation and Interpreting Studies, 7 (2), 129-145.
