Beyond the Untranslatable: Theorizing Postcolonial Translation

This collection examines postcolonial studies through the lens of translation studies, focusing on Asian and East Asian experiences. It redefines translation as a process of negotiating Otherness with language at its core. Following Talal Asad and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s critique, the book shifts from subjectivity to subjectivation, arguing that subjects exist in reciprocal relationships with Others. It positions translation not as identity formation but as communication that occurs through engagement with Others in public spaces. The editors acknowledge that asymmetrical postcolonial situations create misunderstandings, suggesting that recognizing the impossibility of fully understanding Others may actually create opportunities for meaningful connection—introducing the concept of "commensurability of the incommensurable." Offering a fresh theoretical framework that bridges disciplinary boundaries, this volume will interest scholars and students in postcolonial studies, translation studies, and Asian studies.