The organizers of the “Translating Culture, Negotiating Difference: Religion, Law, and Business” Conference, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, March 28-29, 2014, invite proposals for papers. The concept of cultural translation, popularized by anthropologists Bronislaw Malinowski and Edward Evans-Pritchard, intimates that negotiating cultural difference is analogous to learning a foreign language. The metaphor retains its usefulness today in that it points to the possibility, but also the problems, of communication in an increasingly interconnected world: assumptions, miscommunication, and the incommensurability of epistemological categories. The conference seeks to put a magnifying glass to them by focusing on three areas of international activity that involve cultural translation: religion, law, and business. A comparative perspective on their distinctive ways of resolving these issues would offer new insights.
Proposals for papers should take an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to explore the practice of cultural translation in these three fields. A paper would ideally include a specific case study illustrating a distinctive problem and its theoretical underpinnings. Submissions should include: a one-page abstract of the paper, with a title and name of the author; the author’s brief curriculum vitae; postal address; email address; and phone number. Complete proposals should be emailed as attachments in Microsoft Word to: rozbicmjATslu.edu. with a subject line “Translating Culture Proposal.” The deadline for submissions is December 15, 2013.
Michal Jan Rozbicki
Center for Intercultural Studies
Saint Louis University
CGC 124E
3572 West Pine Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-977-6680
Email: rozbicmjATslu.edu