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.

Talal Asad is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, USA.

Jun’ichi Isomae is a Professor Emeritus at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies in Kyoto, Japan.

Naoki Sakai is a Distinguished Professor of Asian Studies Emeritus at Cornell University, USA.

Katsuya Hirano is a Professor of Global Engagement at Kansai Gaidai University, Japan.

Gouranga Charan Pradhan is a Lecturer at ZEN University, Japan.