[CFP] Self-translation in Children's and young adult books

Call for papers: Conference: Self-translation in Children's and young adult books

Padua, 13-14 February 2025

Self-translation has only recently emerged as a separate research field within Translation Studies. Yet it has proved a fertile and promising one, constantly evolving and expanding. Similarly, translation for children and young people has attracted growing scholarly attention over the last twenty years and developed into a research area in its own right. However, studies at the crossroads of the two disciplines are still lacking, although some authors do self-translate in children’s and Young Adult (YA) literature. Even when they are not involved as translators, authors are sometimes invited to take part in the translation process, thus affecting it and contributing to the publishing project in a hybrid, complex way.

This conference seeks to broaden the horizons of translation studies in the context of children’s and YA literature by opening it up to self-translation, a phenomenon that needs to be investigated from both a translation and publishing perspective.

Since avant-textes play a crucial role in the study of translation as a process, we particularly encourage research combining self-translation, translation for young people, and genetic translation studies.

As a translingual and transcultural phenomenon, self-translation can also qualify as transcreation, thus allowing for a redefinition of this concept.

We welcome proposals that address self-translation in books for children and YA from different perspectives. Possible topics may include (but are not limited to):

• Self-translation as an editorial phenomenon, including the role of the paratext(s) (peri-, epi- or hypotext) within its definition and evolution.
• Differences and similarities in translation approaches when self-translating for young people and for adults.
• Self-translation from a translation perspective: approaches, strategies, and possible macro-differences with allo-translation.
• Self-translation and genetic translation studies.
•  Self-translation and transcreation.

Abstract submission

Abstracts (300-400 words, TNR 12) in the language of the presentation should include the following information:

• author(s) with affiliation(s);
• title and text of proposal, also presenting the theoretical and methodological framework;
• a selected bibliography;
• a short bio-bibliographical note.

Abstracts should be submitted to the conference website https://youngselftrans.sciencesconf.org/.

All submissions are blind reviewed by members of the Scientific Committee.

Notification of acceptance will be sent no later than July 15, 2024.

Presentations

Presentations should not exceed 20 minutes and will be followed by a 10-minute discussion.

All proposals accepted for and presented at the conference must be in one of the following languages: French, Italian, Spanish, or English.

Publication

Selected papers will be published. Further information will be provided at the end of the conference.

Deadlines

Deadline for abstract submission to the sciencesCONF platform (https://youngselftrans.sciencesconf.org/): 8 June 2024

Notification of acceptance: 15 July 2024

For more information, please visit the conference website at https://youngselftrans.sciencesconf.org/.