When Black Stories Go Global: How Racial Language is Rendered in Translations of African American Literature and Film

FAIN: FT-278710-21

Eva Michelle Wheeler
Oakwood University (Huntsville, AL 35896-0001)

Research and writing leading to an article and a podcast about how racialized language in African-American literature and film is translated into Spanish and Portuguese.

This project analyzes how racial language from African-American literature and film is translated into Spanish and Portuguese. As I explore this question, I am particularly interested in the translation of racial labels and of racialized linguistic practice. The analysis of the translation of racial language in film and literature is an area of inquiry that has seen substantial growth over the past decade. Significantly, to this point, the translation of racial labels and the representation of racialized linguistic practice have been parallel but ultimately separate lines of research. A review of academic literature on the topic reveals that no existing study examines both translation phenomena. The present study seeks to fill that gap. In addition to the project’s significance as a scholarly endeavor, it is also a significant inquiry for the current social and political moment. Final products will include research talks, an article manuscript, and a podcast episode.