TRANSLATE DEMOCRACY

Multilingual democracy experiments in movements: from transnational activists to local decision-makers

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The project brings together a micro-sociology of democracy with a politics of multilingual deliberation in arenas of protest and decision-making. Designed as a pilot study, the project will explore the relevance that activists’ practices of face-to-face translation, developed for transnational discursive democracy experiments in social movements, can have for activists and officials also at domestic level in multilingual group settings. Having conducted two comparative studies on supranational discursive arenas in the European Social Forum (ESF) and the World Social Forum, I could show that surprisingly, activists’ practice of voluntary translation at the European level helps better including traditionally disadvantaged groups in deliberation compared to monolingual national social forum network assemblies studied. I would like the Marie Curie mobility to propose a case study that will increase the systematic relevance of my result, by studying multilingual democracy experiments also at the national and local levels, as envisaged by the EC’s research perspective (EC 2008). I propose a multi-disciplinary case study on the diffusion of European ideas and experiences of multilingual democracy to activist groups and local authorities in the United States who introduced translation, learning from Europeans as organizers of self-organized translation in the ESF. This is an original case for exploring the diffusion of European experiences and ideas on linguistic diversity and inclusivity, not by EU policy makers or institutions, but by European activists who spread their distinct practices of translation across transnational discursive arenas. I will clarify whether alternative multilingual organized democracy experiments, and translation, may enhance inclusive dialogue compared to English-only settings in the US national social forum process, and in local democracy experiments by social justice groups and decision-makers working with immigrants.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

A groundbreaking comparative assessment has shed light on how linguistic diversity and political translation create a positive foundation for democracy.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Differences are often viewed as obstacles. This is often the case with political theories when linguistic differences are concerned. However, differences and misunderstandings can be a springboard for more inclusive and effective decision making. In turn, social movements can actually be strengthened in multilingual democratic societies.

TRANSLATE DEMOCRACY, an EU-funded project, conducted an empirical comparison of forums and social movements in both Europe and the United States. Through 10 years of fieldwork, much ground was covered in examining how political translation is used both at an international and a domestic level. This involved the World Social Forum and two of its chapters, the European Social Forum and the US Social Forum.

Local urban democracy in poor multilingual communities of socially disadvantaged groups and immigrants in California was part of the experiment. Additionally, the project addressed the subject of deliberation regarding the future of the EU. It also considered inequality, immigration and housing policies in the United States and California in particular.

One of the project's main achievements was how it fills the existing gap between literature and democratic deliberation. The research, which shows a new way of looking at deliberative democratic processes, gives way to a new form of inquiry in political translation-oriented research. Furthermore, based on this, policymakers can include ordinary citizens and marginalised groups in specific deliberative processes. This inclusivity can provide a model for rising above conflict and crisis.