Culture and Contemporary

Objectives

1. To identify the defining traits of the contemporary world.

2. To know the most significant features of 20th century culture.

3. To understand the nexus between culture and translation.

4. To situate the cultural activity upon a network of economic and political priorities.

5. To understand the role played by translation for the visibility of minorities.

6. To discuss translation within the context of feminist and postcolonial concerns.

7. To analyse texts and images.

8. To prepare clear and substantiated presentations.

9. To develop interdisciplinary methods of research.

10. To get acquainted with critical tools for academic purposes.

Program

I- An introduction to contemporary culture – historical and philosophical overview:
a) The critique of modernity.
b) Three philosophers of the différence: Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze and Jacques Derrida.

II- Defining traits and priorities in contemporary society and culture:
a) The "age of extremos" (Eric Hobsbawm).
b) The end of utopianism and the coming of micro-utopias.
c) Culture and politics. The empowerment of minorities. Gender studies and postcolonial studies.
d) Culture and technology. Cultural industry and new spheres of symbolic production.
e) Crisis and transgression in the arts.
III- The cultural turn in Translation Studies:
a) From Cultural Studies to Translation Studies.
b) Language, identiy, and power.
c) Characteristics of a "minor literature", according to Deleuze and Guattari – the case of translated texts.
Hybridization.
d) Translation in the context of feminist and postcolonial concerns.
e) The translator as mediator.
f) Ethical problems in translation.

Teaching Methodologies

Classes will be oriented in order to confer a balanced relevance to both expositive, explanatory approaches to the
syllabus and class participation in the discussion ensued from reading and analysing texts and images. Tutorial
sessions will offer the opportunity to guide students both in better understanding the syllabus and organising their
academic study with regard to bibliographical research, methodological decisions and textual structuring.
Assessment will be based on the oral (30%) and written (50%) presentation of a paper, as well as on the student's
participation in classes.

Bibliography

BASSNETT, Susan, LEFEVERE, André (1998), Constructing Cultures. Essays on Literary Translation, Clevedon,
Philadelphia, Toronto, Sydney, Johannesburg: Multinlingual Matters.
BASSNETT, Susan (2004), Translation Studies, London: Routledge.
BASSNETT, Susan, TRIVEDI, Harishi (1999), Post-Colonial Translation, Theory and Practice, London & New York:
Routledge [digital printing: 2005].
GUMPERZ, John J., ed. (1982), Language and Social Identity: Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
KATAN, David (2004), Translating Cultures. An introduction for Translators, Interpreters and Mediators, Oxford: St.
Jerome Publishing.
SUNDERLAND, Jane (2006), Language and Gender- an advanced resource book, London & New York: Routledge.
THOMAS, Linda et alii (2004), Language, Society and Power – an introduction, London & New York: Routledge.
VENUTI, Lawrence (1998), The Scandals of Translation. Towards an Ethics of Difference, London & New York:
Routledge.