The Glissant Translation Project (TGTP)

 

The cultural services of the French Embassy of the United States has just awarded $9000 to the Center for French and Francophone Studies for the Glissant Translation Project. The Directors of the project are Prof. Valérie Loichot (Emory University) and Alexandre Leupin, with the participation of Profs. Michael Dash (NYU), Celia Britton (University College of London), Hugo Azerad (Cambridge, UK), and Michael Wiedorn (Georgia Tech).

Glissant’s work is a towering achievement of French and Francophone culture. Drawing from the European philosophical and poetic tradition, the oeuvre redraws the national borders of all cultural legacies and opens them to a dialogue with all civilization of the world across time and geographic boundaries. As such, it deserves to be much better known worldwide, especially in the Anglosphere. The dissemination in this latter space has been hampered by the lack of translations of Glissant’s most recent essays [Tout-Monde (1993), Faulkner, Mississippi (1996), Introduction à une poétique du divers (1996), Traité du Tout-Monde, Poétique IV (1997), La cohée du Lamentin, Poétique V (2005), Une nouvelle région du monde (2006), Mémoires de l'esclavage (2007), La Terre magnétique. Les Errances de Rapa Nui, l'île de Pacques (2007), Quand les murs tombent. L'identité nationale hors-la-loi ? (2007), Philosophie de la relation, Poésie en étendue (2008), L'Intraitable Beauté du monde. Addresse à Barack Obama (2009), Manifeste pour les produits de haute nécessité (2009), L'Imaginaire des langues (2010)]. This shortcoming needs to be addressed as soon as possible, first by insuring that the translators are fully qualified, second by ensuring that a reputable publisher will commit to the publication.

The project will draw its strength and dissemination through networking, both in the digital (a blog) and real senses (an annual symposium).

Watch the website for further announcements.