Tag: language
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Can you imagine what it feels like to be a translation academic in the era of mega commercial intermediaries?
I have firsthand experience of how being in academia can make you question your life choices! And I feel slightly uncomfortable admitting this, but sometimes I look at our field and think: this should have been the golden age of Translation Studies. Think about it. Human beings have never been so connected, and multilingual communication…
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On the ethical importance of recognising the lived realities of interpreters and translators: My letter to Baroness Jean Coussins, the Honorary President of the Chartered Institute of Linguists
By Fardous Bahbouh, Researcher & Consultant on Labour Rights, Public Policy, and the Political Economy of the Translation Industry Dear Baroness Coussins, Thank you for your previous correspondence in response to my concerns about the poor pay and working conditions of public service interpreters. I was honoured to receive your replies at the time. I…
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Equitable Distribution of Risks, Responsibilities and Rewards Could Be the Solution to Public Service Interpreting
In a recent article, economist Mariana Mazzucato argues that achieving good economic growth in the UK requires getting public-private partnerships right by ensuring fair sharing of both risks and rewards. Mazzucato highlights the historical problem in the UK, where public-private partnerships often lead to the state overpaying while the private sector underperforms. The same issue…
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Before Setting New Year’s Resolutions: Beware the Trap of CPD for Precarious Workers (AKA Freelancers)
By Fardous Bahbouh, Researcher & Consultant on Labour Rights, Public Policy, and the Political Economy of the Translation Industry As the festive season approaches, a time meant to be joyful can often feel like a storm of financial stress, social anxiety, and forced cheerfulness. For freelancers, especially those in exploitive sectors like the outsourced public…
