ALTA is thrilled to announce that session proposals for ALTA43: In Between in Tucson, AZ from November 11-14 are now being accepted! An excerpt from the call for sessions is as follows:

Translation is neither here nor there. It exists in a space between languages, cultures, texts, authors, and readers. The ALTA43 theme “In Between” invites participants to consider the ways translation and translators function not as mediators between fixed points—“source text,” “original language,” “target culture”—but rather in a constant state of betweenness. Translation as an in-between practice seeks not to cross borders (whether real or artificial) but to transcend and dissolve them, to show how language, cultures, and texts are never singular and always in process. This theme also resonates with our conference venue of Tucson, Arizona, ALTA’s current home and a territory that reminds us of the continuous shifting and arbitrariness of borders and the power of the nuances of language.

We invite panels, readings, roundtables, and workshops that address the theme “In Between,” broadly conceived, including topics such as: translating from a place of multiple belongings, translating migrant writing, translating code-switching, translating heritage, translating indigenous languages, translating beyond gender binaries, and translating hybrid genres.

We also welcome topics that approach the theme of “In Between” as it relates to the experiences of literary translators: translators who are somewhere between “emerging” and “established”; translators who find themselves midway along the path of an academic or freelance career; translators who acknowledge that, while recognition of translation and the work of translators has come a long way, there is still room for improvement. 

To see the full call for sessions and find out more about the conference, check out our website, see proposal guidelines here, and consult these tips for submitting a strong session proposal. If you want to see your panel, workshop, or roundtable this year in Tucson, be sure to submit by April 20 at 11:59 PT. Only ALTA members may propose sessions, so be sure that you’ve joined or renewed your ALTA membership!