About the event

The concept of human rights, as enshrined in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, itself translated into more than 501 languages (www.un.org/en), has been gradually expanded to encompass a broad range of specific rights, including civil, cultural, economic, environmental and social rights. The growing focus on language rights, at the centre of multilingualism initiatives and situated language policies (Richter et al 2012), gives increased urgency to the provision of translation and interpreting in contexts where human rights are challenged and contested through actual practices and restrictions (Inghilleri and Harding 2010). In addition to the shifting interpretation of the principles of human rights, it is also increasingly argued that the notion of rights should be expanded further to apply to non-human animals. The animal rights debate is underpinned by centuries of philosophical thought, but scientific and measurable criteria are brought forward by activists and researchers who advocate that greater attention should be given to animal rights and welfare and that the exclusion of animals from theories of justice should be revisited (Garner 2013).

This event will explore how the concept of ‘rights’, as framed by the complexity of human rights law, is enacted and enabled beyond cultural and linguistic boundaries, through translation and interpreting, and can be articulated from different perspectives. It will also prompt new questions on the way the concept of rights can be extended to non-human animals when animal welfare gains in national and global contexts are seen by some as incremental steps towards animal rights.

The workshop will feature presentations from scholars as well as representatives of activist organisations.

Further details: http://genealogiesofknowledge.net/events/developing-translating-rights/