KATS International Conference on Translation and Globalization

Seoul 30-31 Oct 2009

Call for Papers In this era of cultural diversity and globalization, the role of translation has become more visible and complex as a result of the intensification of linguistic exchanges, the amplification of the demand for translation, and because of the current status of English as the international lingua franca. The development of the internet and web-based technologies along with the concomitant reduction in the speed and cost of communication has profoundly transformed the significance and practice of translation at local, national and international levels. These changes are most clearly manifested in the mode in which translational activity is carried out, the translating agents involved in the process and their networks, the power relationships that exist between related languages, the institutionalization of translational activity, the relationship between translation policy and identity, and the cultural and social roles played by translators and translations. The international conference of the Korean Association of Translation Studies aims at problematizing and exploring the consequences of the extraordinary advances in communication technology and the resulting shifts in the organization of economies and societies as these factors concern translators and translations. By gathering scholars in translation studies under the theme of ''Translation and Globalization,'' the conference hopes to examine the particular ways in which translation impacts globalization as well as how globalization, in turn, shapes translation. The shifting role of translation as a result of the increase in transnational movements and technological development, coupled with communication that now occurs faster and at a lower cost over greater stretches of space, has not only influenced translators' activities and the process and product of translation but also the specific ways in which translation impacts our thinking as it pertains to exchanges and contacts between languages and cultures. The conference is organized by the Korean Association of Translation Studies (KATS), which celebrates its 10th anniversary in October of 2009. The KATS has played a crucial role in the development of translation studies in Korea by publishing a refereed journal four times a year and providing a forum to bring its 500 members from different disciplinary backgrounds together to discuss matters relating to translation. The conference themes include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: the relationship among translation, globalization and popular culture in terms of how translation may shape representations, recreate images, and retrieve cultural identities; the impact of technological development on the mode and process of mediation across crucial socio-cultural boundaries; translation education and evaluation in the globalized era; the current status of translation and translation studies in Asia; the link between translation and the movement of texts across institutional borders; and the translation of the bible and other religious texts. The KATS conference organizing committee invites proposals for papers. The proposals should not exceed 400 words and should include a title and a brief biography of the presenter. Please send the proposal to the organizing committee by email at kats09_seoulyahoo.com. Keynote Speakers: Mona Baker, University of Manchester, UK Michael Cronin, Dublin City University, Ireland Ernst-August Gutt, SIL International Deadline for submission of proposals: October 31, 2008 Notification of acceptance: December 31, 2008 Early-bird registration: January 1-March 31, 2009