Exploring the Implications of Complexity Thinking for Translation Studies

Exploring the Implications of Complexity Thinking for Translation Studies considers the new link between translation studies and complexity thinking. Edited by leading scholars in this emerging field, the collection builds on and expands work done in complexity thinking in translation studies over the past decade.

In this volume, the contributors address a variety of implications that this new approach holds for key concepts in Translation Studies such as source vs. target texts, translational units, authorship, translatorship, for research topics including translation data, machine translation, communities of practice, and for research methods such as constraints and the emergence of trajectories. The various chapters provide valuable information as to how research methods informed by complexity thinking can be applied in translation studies.

Presenting theoretical and methodological contributions as well as case studies, this volume is of interest to advanced students, academics, and researchers in translation and interpreting studies, literary studies, and related areas.

Kobus Marais is professor of translation studies in the Department of Linguistics and Language practice of University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. He published two monographs, namely Translation theory and development studies: A complexity theory approach (2014) and A (bio)semiotic theory of translation: The emergence of social-cultural reality (2018). He also published two edited volumes, one with Ilse Feinauer, Translation studies beyond the postcolony (2017), and one with Reine Meylaerts, Complexity thinking in translation studies: Methodological considerations (2018). His research interests are translation theory, complexity thinking, semiotics/biosemiotics and development studies.

Reine Meylaerts is Full Professor and currently (2017-2021) vice-rector of research policy at KU Leuven. Her research interests concern translation policy for minorities, intercultural mediation and transfer in multilingual cultures, past and present. She has written or edited about 150 articles, book chapters and books on these topics (https: //orcid.org/0000-0002-8088-1519). She was keynote speaker/invited expert at some 40 International Conferences/Expert Workshops and has been lecturing at Harvard University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beihang University, Copenhagen University, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (Brazil), Abu Dis University among others. She serves on the editorial board of Target and Translation in Society.