Reflecting upon Translation in the History of Sociology

Translation and translations have always had their place within the history of sociology, however, rarely is translation (as a practice) perceived as more than a mere medium of communication. Bielsa (2021, 7) calls for sociology (and translation studies) to “attend to translation not just as a form of communication but primarily as a social relation at the site of incommensurability.” This is also true for the history of sociology itself. This panel thus invites contributions discussing particular cases of translations or forms of translation that seem particularly relevant to the history of sociology. It invites for a critical reappraisal of our understanding of translation within the history of sociology. Contributions may reflect upon the value of studying special forms of translation such as translation in exile, forced translation, self-translation or collective translation projects.

Bielsa, E. (2021). For a translational sociology: Illuminating translation in society, theory and research. European Journal of Social Theory, 136843102110021. https://doi.org/10.1177/13684310211002132