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Problematising geographies and spaces in city translation research

ORCiD logo with link | University of Exeter
 | University of Tartu | KU Leuven | Stellenbosch University
Published online: 13 November 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/tris.26015.man
Abstract
This article combines a methodological and conceptual approach with two case studies. It first addresses the problematisation of geography-based analysis and terminology in city-focused translation research, raising challenges including hybridity, complexity, arbitrary classification, and issues of representativeness and selectivity in the material under study, to suggest exploration of the relationship between translation and various spatial and geographically defined categories — not only cities, but also villages, islands, and regions, among others. This concomitantly calls for a flexible concept of translation that is centred on the processes of transformation to which the object of study is submitted and/or submits itself. Our approach is illustrated through two non-urban case studies: the island of Majorca and the German-speaking region/community in Belgium. Within these complex networks beyond cities, translation functions not only as interlingual mediation but also as a means of reflecting on and interrogating societal values, shaping identities, constructing representations, and influencing cultural dynamics.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction: The spatial in relation to methodology and object of study
  • 2.All spaces, great and small?
  • 3.Region, village, or island translation?
  • 4.Conclusion: City translation outside of the city
  • Notes
  • References
References (42)
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