[CfP] Hyperlocal to Global: Cultural Hybridity and Translation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Events

February 19 – 20, 2025
Department of Arabic and Translation Studies (ATS) | قسم دراسات العربية والترجمة
American University of Sharjah (AUS) | الجامعة الأميركية في الشارقة

The Department of Arabic and Translation Studies (ATS) in the College of Arts and Sciences at American University of Sharjah (AUS), is pleased to invite submissions for its upcoming conference on Translation Studies, themedHyperlocal to Global: Cultural Hybridity and Translation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The rapid development of AI technologies has revolutionized the translation industry, making it possible to achieve unprecedented levels of relative accuracy, efficiency and, of course, speed. Neural machine translation and AI-powered localization tools are examples of how technology is reshaping the way languages are being engineered. However, these advancements also imply ethical considerations, questions about the role of human translators, and the potential for bias in AI- generated translations.

The conference will provide an invaluable opportunity for scholars, researchers, practitioners, students, and industry experts to contribute to explore and exchange ideas on how AI influences the blending of the local with the global and how cultural hybridity (glocal) is represented and transmitted across various media through AI-generated translation. It will focus on the tensions, opportunities, and implications of these processes in the context of the digital era, examining the role of AI in shaping/reshaping narratives, media, languages, and cultural goods.

We welcome submissions on, but not limited to, the following themes:

  • AI, culture and glo-cal-ization
    • AI and its impact on translation in/for local and global cultural exchanges (digital media, formation of cultural hybridities through AI, AI-driven cultural industries, AI in preserving and reshaping indigenous cultures, etc).
  • Language, identity, translation in the age of AI
    • Centripetal and centrifugal forces of AI linguistic diversity, identity, language use and representation, gender dynamics.
  • Ethics, power, bias, and AI in cultural encounters
    • Generative AI algorithms in/of the ethics of translation, transparency and accountability.
  • Hyperlocal, global, hybrid and AI-driven globalization
    • Grassroots / crowdfunding AI projects for local, global, hybrid responses to AI-induced homogenized identities.
  • Translation and AI in/for emerging fields/industries
    • Digital media, (children) literature, gaming, AR/VR, Metaverse, news/fake-news, etc.
  • Training and Development for Translators
    • New / old skills for the AI-enhanced translator, AI-based curricula, AI and lifelong learning and adaptation for practitioners.
  • Politics and economics of AI in/for translation
    • Impact of AI on the translation industry, market tends and business models for AI-driven translation services and solutions, regulation of AI-translation.
  • Translation quality and evaluation for / by AI
    • AI-translation quality assessment metrics and systems, human-AI- and AI-human assessed translation.
  • Translating religion in the age of AI.
    • Challenges and innovations in translating religious (sacred) texts, is AI religious enough to preserve the essence of religious texts?

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

We invite scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit:

  • Abstract of original research relevant to the conference themes. Submissions must be in a Microsoft Word document and can be in English or in Arabic (abstracts in Arabic must be accompanied by proper English translation). Abstracts should be informative and well-structured (maximum 300 words) outlining the paper’s objectives, methodology and key findings. All abstracts will be double reviewed by members of the scientific committee. 
  • A brief bio-sketch (no more than a 100-word) of the author(s);

Abstracts should be emailed to: atsconference-tra@aus.edu

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Abstract Submission Deadline: November 15, 2024
  • Notification of Acceptance by: December 5, 2024
  • Conference Dates: February 19-20, 2025

For more details, please visit: https://info.aus.edu/hyperlocal-to-global