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Article published In:
Translation in Society
Vol. 3:2 (2024) ► pp.202–225

“We have a damn duty”

What motivates volunteer interpreters to engage in activist interpreting in abortion clinics?

ORCID logo | University of Vienna
 | University of Vienna | University of Silesia in Katowice
 | University of Vienna
 | University of Vienna
This article presents a case study of Ciocia Wienia, a collective of activists who facilitate abortion travel between Poland and Austria and provide support and interpretation in abortion clinics in Vienna. Drawing on a framework based on activist translation and motivational psychology, we investigate the factors that compel activist interpreters to join the collective and motivate their commitment to this activist work. Our study is based on a corpus of thirteen qualitative interviews with members and associates of the collective. The activists’ commitment is grounded in a range of purpose- and task-centred motivators, including their desire to respond to perceived gender-based injustice; to actively participate in society and be a member of a community of practice sharing the same pro-choice beliefs; to empower both oneself and individuals who need help; and to do good and feel satisfaction resulting from one’s work.
Keywords: activist interpreting, volunteer interpreting, motivation, transnational patient mobility, abortion travel
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Researching the motivations of volunteer translators and interpreters
  • 3.Research questions, context and methodology
    • 3.1Research questions
    • 3.2The activist collective Ciocia Wienia
    • 3.3Methodology and sample
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Purpose-centred motives
    • 4.2Task-centred motives
  • 5.Discussion and conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at [email protected].

Published online: 9 July 2024
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tris.23021.pol
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