[VIDEO]
Transnational ties are a constant element of academic life and translators are important mediators making the circulation of academic thought possible in the very first place. This paper will focus on (book) translators from German to French in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) in the timespan of 2003-2013. Based on data available from the French publisher’s database ELECTRE1 translation flows will be presented and the attempt made to offer a prosopography of translators active during that period. Using biographical data on translators the aim is to differentiate “groups” of translators that take a similar position in the respective academic field. After this differentiation of translators some thoughts on the relationship of this positioning in the field and the use and functions of paratexts – such as introductions, comments, footnotes or appendices – for these different groups of translators will be reflected upon.
Rafael Schögler is assistant professor at the Department of Translation Studies at the University of Graz, Austria. His research interests comprise sociology of translation, translation in the social sciences and humanities, history of translation studies and empirical social research. He has worked on manifold projects amongst others dealing with the translation of Max Weber into English, an anthology on community interpreting and sociological work on European research policy. Currently, his work focuses on translation in the social sciences and humanities. He is also associated to the EU funded INTERCO-SSH project dealing with the institutionalization and internationalization of the social sciences and humanities.
