Translating Freedom

The proposed network engages with the AHRC emerging theme 'Translating Cultures' in various ways. 'Freedom' is a highly contentious term, often seen as partisan, favouring one party to a conflict, or externally imposed by a Western, liberal global order. It is hard to think of a concept more in need of cross-cultural understanding, communication and translation. The network also conceptualises translation and translators broadly (between languages; global and local; past and present; etc.); focuses on two expressions or translations of freedom (human rights and transitional justice, and public culture); and engages with a theme that has clear policy relevance.

Network discussions will prioritise translations of freedom in post-conflict settings. Two sectors have been identified as central to such translations. 1) Human rights and transitional justice (transitional justice is a set of mechanisms including trials and truth commissions that seek to assist countries to move on from an oppressive or violent past). 2) Public culture, ranging from literature, film and theatre to community arts projects and memorialisation. As such, translations of freedom are situated at the intersection of institutions and norms on the one hand, and public debate and creativity on the other. Workshops will take place in four case study countries - Egypt, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, and South Africa. These countries have been chosen because they are at different points beyond or 'post' conflict, and enable a comparison between the aftermaths of authoritarianism (Egypt, South Africa) and the aftermaths of conflict (Northern Ireland, Rwanda).

This project aims to generate new insights into who the translators of freedom are, and what forms of translation matter, in post-conflict settings. As noted above, translation of freedom is conceptualised broadly as crossing boundaries between languages; between international human rights law and local norms; between past and present; between the local and the global; between various media; between academic disciplines; and between the academy and various practitioner communities. Translation will be understood as a two way process. While one partner may be dominant, and the dominance may speak to broader political and power dynamics, important insights can be gained by viewing translation as a process of negotiation and struggle. Two conceptual frameworks underpin this idea: Rothberg's (2009) 'multidirectional' memory (translation too can be multidirectional), and Engle Merry's (2006) description of translators as intermediaries in processes of vernacularisation (adaptation to local institutions and meanings).

Moving on to freedom, can the notion of translating freedom liberate the term from its more problematic associations? Events such as the Arab Spring suggest that contemporary freedom must be understood as both a locally informed set of demands, and a set of global agendas (economic, diplomatic, military). Two conceptual frameworks help to provide a more inclusive framework. Roosevelt's four freedoms are a useful place to start: of expression, of worship, from want, from fear. Second, Sen (1999) reminds us that freedom is not just an absence of state coercion, but also agency and the ability to exercise genuine choice. Each of the workshops will explicitly address one or more of Roosevelt's four freedoms to focus local discussions and provide a basis for comparative analysis.

The network proposes to host four workshops in case study countries, two workshops in York (one of which is already funded) and associated events, designed to establish an international and interdisciplinary research network including a diverse group of scholars as well as human rights and cultural practitioners. The network will submit major collaborative fundings bids and conduct ground-break research on the theme of 'translating freedom'.

'Translating Freedom' has the potential to benefit a wide range of academic and public users and to have far-reaching impact. York-based academics have already networked with a variety of individuals and institutions with interests in the topic. Key drives of network impact will be a high profile Advisory Board and Impact partners (the BBC, the British Council, the Imperial War Museum, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, the Runnymede Trust, and the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust).

Otherwise, workshops, video conferencing and a website will also play a crucial role in securing impact. Each workshop (four in case study countries and two in York) will feature video conferencing i.e. a webinar, with a live video and googlechat feed, and the opportunity for participants to use twitter, email, text, googlechat or skype to send in their questions and reflections before, during, and after the webinar. The workshops will therefore be extended to web participants and the project website will create an opportunity for ongoing dialogue with those in policy organisations, museums and cultural institutions, the media, and human rights and community activists who are keen to be involved in the discussions. Impact will be sought in case study countries and in the UK. Our chosen methodology is reflected in the requests for funds to facilitate the technological and practical aspects of the webinar via video conferencing for every workshop.

This summary describes the broad constituencies that will be encouraged to engage with the workshops and in additional discussions with the network team and Advisory Board, and to use the website blogs, discussion boards, workshop reports and video archive as a key resource for furthering explorations of the concept of 'translating freedom'. Four specific categories of public user have been identified.

They are:

1. Policy communities especially those working on transitional justice, including human rights practitioners, government donors and policy makers, and non-governmental organisations. These will be able to draw on the discussions in the workshops (and archived in the videos and reports from the workshops) in order to better understand the importance of culture and translation in their fields of work.

2. Cultural practitioners in museums, heritage and archives, who translate aspects of freedom in their curation, and education and outreach work. Also, there will be creative practitioners participating (primarily from visual art, film, poetry and theatre), who actively engage with public culture and can offer insights into the cultural mediums by which freedom is translated.

3. Community groups, working on issues such as oral history, which commemorate and translate struggles for freedom. Community activists and social movement activists will also be included in the workshops and web discussions, as their work often identifies the faultlines in post conflict freedom at a local level.

4. Media commissioners and producers will be invited to participate. The BBC Head of Speech Radio and a BBC World Service Commissioner have been invited on to the Advisory Board. Also, each of the workshops will actively seek to engage with the media in case study countries. Media personnel will be asked to reflect on their experience of translation and help to disseminate the findings of the workshops and network to a wider audience.

The mechanisms by which the project will establish links and develop work with user groups in each category are set out in the separate attachment, Pathways to Impact.