Determining ideology through translation*

Abstract

Abstract Based on the premise that journalistic translation functions as a gatekeeping force, this study uses Thematic Content Analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis to analyse translation decisions of UNIAN, a leading news agency in Ukraine owned by oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, in order to ‘reconstruct’ its ideological agenda. The findings indicate that, as regards international matters, the ideology promoted by UNIAN is oriented towards Ukrainian national interests. This conclusion follows from the dominant themes of the translated articles – such as the Russian aggression in the east of Ukraine, Ukraine’s relationship with the new US administration, and the EU’s attitude to Russia – and from ideological shifts in the target texts. Domestically, however, UNIAN appears to be at least partially pro-oligarchic, since the corruption and reform theme is downplayed in the translations, even though it was widely discussed in western press at the time when the corpus for the study was collected.