Academics at the University of Glasgow have received £2 million from the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s (AHRC) Translating Cultures programme.

The project will seek to explore the difficult area of translation and interpretation, working in partnership with a wide variety of partners that includes Creative Scotland and the Scottish Refugee Council.

International academics from Bulgaria, Arizona and Gaza will come together with those from the University of Glasgow in innovative ways to examine some of the issues that occur during interpretation and translation.  For example, the use of interpreters on the borders of Europe in Bulgaria and Romania as these countries begin to work with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Alison Phipps, Professor of Languages and Intercultural Studies (Glasgow refugee Asylum and Migration Network - GRAMNET) said “For many who are in pain and under pressure, telling their story in their mother tongue is extremely difficult.  Courts, border agencies and other parts of the state that interact with refugees and those seeking asylum often use crude mechanisms that means much is lost in translation.”

The project will also use innovative means of disseminating the information.  Artists and musicians from Pan African Arts Scotland will work with the participants to recreate the stories of individuals involved in the research.   Gameli Tordzro of Pan African Arts Scotland said “Art can also be a language for research, and can express what is inexpressible in other media.”

Find out more

Alison Phipps, Professor of Languages and Intercultural Studies (Glasgow Refugee Asylum and Migration Network - GRAMNET)

Glasgow Refugee Asylum and Migration Network - GRAMNET

School of Education

College of Social Sciences

For more information contact Cara MacDowall, cara.macdowall@glasgow.ac.uk or call 0141 330 3683.

For more information about AHRC, go to http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

First published: 18 September 2013

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