The Conference

Translations of economic texts into and from European languages
International Conference
University of Pisa, 12-14 September 2013

Call for Papers

The Department of Economics and Management of the University of Pisa promotes an international conference on “Translations of economic texts into and from European languages”. The aim of the conference is to stimulate research on the international circulation of economic ideas through translations and adaptations of economic texts. The conference marks the final step of an European research project entitled “Economics e-translations into and from European Languages: an online platform (EE-T)”, an LLP/Erasmus multilateral project funded by the European Union.

The international circulation of economic ideas was fostered since the 18th century by a wealth of translations of economic texts into various European and non-European languages. These translations were performed both as individual initiatives and as part of more systematic publishing initiatives such as specialised series of economic texts, digests, handbooks, etc. Sometimes they were part and parcel of a strategy of importation of economic ideas promoted by or groups of intellectuals as elements of a strategy of modernisation of politics and society. Translations were adapted not only to different national social and economic contexts but also to political and institutional contexts. The history of translations of economic text is therefore an important element of the history of the institutionalisation and dissemination of economics.

From a technical viewpoint, adaptation was performed through para-textual apparatuses: prefaces and introductions, comments, additions, omissions, footnotes, appendices, etc. Furthermore, the translation and adaptation of economic texts implied creative work of linguistic innovation, often performed through calques and loanwords. Linguistic studies analyse translations in general, and specifically economic translations, as instrument to communicate and impose the ideology of a dominant group, or to substitute the ideology of a group with that of another. In this perspective, the study of semantic and formal neologisms is very important because the diachronic perspective allows the study of words variation.

Furthermore, the language of political economy has been one of the basic traits of the European public debate since the 18th century and an essential element of the construction of Europe and its identity. There is a need to build a sense of European belonging based on historical knowledge, and acknowledging how economic texts circulated, were transformed and adapted to different cultural contexts, how they were debated and applied, is essential to answer this need.

The Conference welcomes papers and proposed sessions on all subjects related to the translation of economic text from the point of view of the history of economics, linguistic history, and the history of the European identity.

The Conference will also create an opportunity to share and debate the scientific and educational results of the EE-T project, such as its research outcomes, its online database and platform, its editions of economic e-texts, and its educational tools such as guides to the analysis of economic translations and online lectures.

To submit a proposal please send an abstract of about 400 words for a paper and/or a proposal of about 600 words for a session (together with the abstracts of the session papers) no later than the 30th April 2013 to: [email protected].

Important dates: 30th April 2013: Deadline for abstract submissions. Notification of accepted/rejected abstracts 31st May 2013: Deadline for sending full papers 1st September 2013.

Local Organizer: Marco E.L. Guidi (University of Pisa, Department of Economics and Management)
Website of the EE-T Project: http://eet.pixel-online.org/index.php