Translating Syrian Literature Today

The Syrian uprising that broke out in 2011, and the civil war and international conflict(s) that have followed, generated unprecedented interest in Syria, its politics and, to a lesser extent, its culture. This talk considers various aspects of the ethics and politics of translating Syrian literature—of translating Syria—in this time of massive human suffering and complex political crisis. The growing visibility of Syrian writers and intellectuals on the world literary stage presents both challenges and opportunities for talking about—and, perhaps transforming through translation—the Syria War.