This book focuses on the role of translation in a globalising world. It presents a series of case studies that explore the ways in which translation is subject to ideology and power play across diverging domains and genres. Broadly based on a discussion of 'translation and the economies of power', the chapters examine an array of contextual and textual factors, ranging from global, regional and institutional power relations to the linguistic, stylistic and rhetorical implications of translation decisions. The book maps the multiple ways in which power relations and ideological positions affect cross-cultural communication, with special reference to repressive practices in history, translation policies, media power and commercial hegemonies. It concludes that future translation research will benefit from a more sustained emphasis on the power of technology and economic capital.

Stefan Baumgarten is a Lecturer in German Language Studies at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany. His current research centres on critical translation theories and the role of translation as an ideological practice.

Jordi Cornellà-Detrell is a Senior Lecturer in Hispanic Studies at the University of Glasgow, UK. His research interests focus on censorship and translation during Franco’s regime, the Spanish post-war publishing industry and multilingual literature.