From local histories to transcultural mnemonic landscapes : a conversation about translation and memory

Abstract

This chapter is structured as a dialogue between two scholars from different disciplines, each exploring the potential of concepts and methods from translation studies to shed light on the formation, circulation and reception of transnational memories, while also considering how insights from memory studies can highlight the multidirectional engagements and local embedding of memories originating from diverse contexts in cultural practices of translation. The interdisciplinary exchange prompts reflection on the specific formats and mechanisms through which memories 'travel' via translation across geographical, cultural and linguistic boundaries, as well as their subsequent 'instantiation' in particular locales, where they are reshaped through interactions with local repertoires, audiences, and agendas.Our focus is on how translation-as-transformation acts as a driving force behind the evolution and preservation of memory. This entails engaging with the ethical implications of translating local histories and narratives for global consumption. Through an analysis of various media forms—including testimony, literature, film, and museums—we examine how the dynamic interplay between interlingual and cultural translation unlocks the mnemonic potential of a given text or narrative. Approaching memory through a translational lens ultimately compels us to challenge conventional notions of authenticity, native language and stable originals, and to question the presumed unidirectionality of transfer processes.This chapter is structured as a dialogue between two scholars from different disciplines, each exploring the potential of concepts and methods from translation studies to shed light on the formation, circulation and reception of transnational memories, while also considering how insights from memory studies can highlight the multidirectional engagements and local embedding of memories originating from diverse contexts in cultural practices of translation. The interdisciplinary exchange prompts reflection on the specific formats and mechanisms through which memories 'travel' via translation across geographical, cultural and linguistic boundaries, as well as their subsequent 'instantiation' in particular locales, where they are reshaped through interactions with local repertoires, audiences, and agendas.Our focus is on how translation-as-transformation acts as a driving force behind the evolution and preservation of memory. This entails engaging with the ethical implications of translating local histories and narratives for global consumption. Through an analysis of various media forms—including testimony, literature, film, and museums—we examine how the dynamic interplay between interlingual and cultural translation unlocks the mnemonic potential of a given text or narrative. Approaching memory through a translational lens ultimately compels us to challenge conventional notions of authenticity, native language and stable originals, and to question the presumed unidirectionality of transfer processes.B