Canada Research Chair on Translation and Colonialism

Chairholder: Arianne Des Rochers

The main objectives of the research program of the Canada Research Chair in Translation and Colonialism are:

1) to reveal the ways in which settlement colonialism structures, organizes and determines the practice of translation in Canada;

2) to reflect on the ethical requirements of translation in a colonial context, which will enable us to renew translation practices and teaching, and more broadly to better think about relations, exchanges and intercultural dialogue between different nations in a colonial context; and

3) to explore the decolonizing potential of translation, i.e. the role that translation of indigenous literatures can play in processes of decolonization, indigenous resurgence and linguistic revitalization.

To this end, the program focuses on the study of translation of indigenous literatures, seen as an exemplary activity that allows us to reflect on the possibilities, limits and modalities of dialogue between different nations in a colonial context.