Beyond a pacific and sterile coexistence of reified cultures (multiculturalism), we must move towards cooperation among cultures equally critical of their identity - that is, to access the stage of translation. The stakes are colossal: it involves allowing the rewriting of "official" History in favor of plural narratives, while facilitating a possible dialogue among these different versions of History.
Nicholas Bourriaud, The Radicant, 2009 # 8
Making histories speak to each other
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- Moreover, I think that the women were called doves by the people of Dodona for the reason that they were Barbarians and because it seemed to them that they uttered voice like birds; but after a time (they say) the dove spoke with human voice, that is when the woman began to speak so that they could …
Where does Europe begin and Where does Europe end
Europe has always been a fusion of diverse cultures, some originating in places that extent far beyond its geographic boundaries, such as Asia. Its traditions are complex and interwoven. Can we say that Europe begins with the dynamics of translating these different cultures into ever-evolving new forms? And how can this process serve as a guiding principle for integrating new arrivals? Translation offers a possible approach to cohabitation among different cultures, one that transcends mere coexistence of separate identities. Rather than simply existing alongside each other, it fosters a dynamic, cooperative exchange among cultures, each critically engaging with its own and the others traditions.
Antoine Berman, a French translation theorist, explored translation as an act of hospitality. He emphasized the ethical responsibility of welcoming the "foreign" into one's language, focusing on the translator's role in preserving the foreignness of the original text to deepen understanding. For Berman, translation is not merely a process of linguistic transfer; it is an act of hosting and engaging with otherness.
By viewing Europe through the lens of translation, we understand it not as a rigid construct defined by borders, but a dynamic space where diverse influences converge and evolve. It is within this space of hospitality that Europe is continually reborn. Europe begins anew, again and again, with hospitality—ensuring that integration is not assimilation, but mutual transformation.
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