Tag: politics
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The Precariat: Critical Insights for Translators and Interpreters in an Age of Insecurity
Fardous Bahbouh, PhD researcher in equality and political economy In today’s fast-changing labour market, translators and interpreters are increasingly facing precarious working conditions and intensifying insecurities. The Precariat (2021) is an excellent book by economist Guy Standing that captures the lived realities of workers who experience unstable employment, fluctuating incomes, and weakened labour protections. Understanding…
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Public services rendered
Fardous Bahbouh investigates the progress – or lack of it – towards equitable pay for public service interpreting. This article was first published by the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) Consider this. The UK language services market is currently worth around £2.2 billion. Some translation companies have self-reported gross margins of up to 77…
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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, PhD researcher specialising in equality and political economy 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 write today with a heavy heart. While I…
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What Is the Real Cost of Outsourcing? My Letter to the House of Lords Public Services Committee
By Fardous Bahbouh, PhD researcher specialising in equality and political economy Dear Baroness Morris, I am truly grateful to you and the members of the Public Services Committee for your recent report on interpreting services in the courts. Your inquiry came at a critical time for justice—for interpreters and court users alike. The report’s conclusion—that…
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Talent Pipelines or Precarity Pipelines? Setting the Narrative Straight on the UK Language Industry
By Fardous Bahbouh, PhD researcher in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Like many, I was saddened to read about the closure of the Modern Languages department at Cardiff University. This represents a lost opportunity for global understanding, cross-cultural communication, economic development, and the continuous progress of humanity. However, I was deeply concerned by the letter from…
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The Night I Confronted Diane Abbott About Silencing Syrians’ Voices
By: Fardous Bahbouh, PhD researcher in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion On 15 September 2017, I attended the Diversity in Media Awards at the Waldorf Hilton. My teacher at the London College of Communication, Vivienne Francis, had been nominated for an award, and I was there to celebrate her incredible achievement. Among the attendees were many…
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Equitable Distribution of Risks, Responsibilities and Rewards Could Be the Solution to Court Interpreting
By: Fardous Bahbouh, PhD researcher in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 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…
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Labour Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services Insist on Allowing ‘the Market’ to determine Interpreters Fees, Ignoring Evidence from the House of Lords Inquiry
By Fardous Bahbouh, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion researcher, specialised in the UK outsourced public service interpreting. The Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman, spoke at the House of Lords on Wednesday. Instead of acknowledging the inquiry’s published evidence, the minister shamelessly reiterated false statements based on clearly flawed data. She even…
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Professionalism vs Indentured Labour
I just had a difficult conversation with the gentleman who cleans our windows. He was quite unreasonable, but I managed to stay firm and calm. Usually, he cleans windows for several buildings on our street in one go. He charges me £11 for about half an hour’s work—just the exteriors. I told him our needs…
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4 Ethical Reasons Why the UK Should Not ‘Import’ Court Interpreters from Abroad
In a recent session of the House of Lords inquiry into court interpreting, the Association of Translation Companies (ATC) lamented their inability to “import” interpreters from abroad when local professionals refused to accept shockingly low pay and challenging working conditions. It was concerning to see the committee expressing interest in exploring the idea further. Such…
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