The network’s international conference “Philosophy, the Political, and Politics of Translation in the Modern Islamic World” in Berlin, 10-12 March 2025 announces its program and welcomes you to join the lectures on manifold aspects of translation, its philosophical and socio-political contexts, and aesthetic and critical dimensions.

The translation of philosophical works is a complex process that involves linguistic, cultural, historical, and political considerations. In the MENA region, translation has shaped philosophical concepts and currents, influenced by colonialism and power dynamics. Philosophers have grappled with the nature and meaning of translation, exploring its relationship to concepts, language, and culture. The conference will address various aspects of translation in philosophy, including concept construction, historical translation phenomena, and the politics of translation. By examining these aspects, the conference aims to understand the implications of translation for the study of philosophy in the MENA region.

Papers of international scholars address these issues in six thematic panels:

1. Critical views on the praxis of translation with contributions by Mahmoud Al Zayed and Milad Odabaei
2. Case studies on the notion of translation with contributions by Rouzchehr Mosaheb, Dylan Fagan, Seyedali Taghavinasab, and Yousef Ben Addi
3. Translation disrupting hegemonial discourse formations with contributions by Lale Diklitaş, Aulia Rakhmat, and Maysam Sefidkhosh
4. Colonial and orientalist translations with contributions by Youssef Madrari and Amit Kumar Sharma
5. Translation in socio-political contexts with contributions by Mert Aydemir, Michael Frey, and Zeynab Hosseini
6. Renewal through translation with contributions by Ndiaga Diop, Amany Elhefnawy, Maryam Kheradmand, and Cüneyt Kaya

Two additional panels address first-hand experiences in translating and presenting theoretical and/or philosophical texts in Arabic, Persion, and Turkish languages or smaler languages such as (old) Tatar, Hindi, and Swahili. These panels showcase the network and its cooperations:

1. ZMO/CO²LIBRI panel on translating theory with Diliara Bileva, Leila Almazova, Max Kramer, and Kai Kresse
2. Network panel on translating philosophy (not public) with Anke von Kügelgen and other network members

 

Practical information

Attendance to the paper presentations is free and open to public, no prior registration is required.

The presentations are mostly in English; one Arabic and one French presentation will be accompanied by written English translations.

The venues of the conference and our cooperation partners are

1. Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO), Kirchweg 33, Berlin-Zehlendorf on Monday, 10 March
2. Katholische Akademie Berlin, Hannoversche Str. 5, Berlin-Mitte on Tuesday and Wednesday, 11-12 March

If you have any question on this conference, please contact our assistant Sarah Krusche.