The impact of translation subsidies on publishing decisions in smaller European countries

Abstract

ABSTRACT Since the 1990s, Europe has seen a boom in literary translation subsidies. The role of these subsidies on the dissemination of literature has often been disputed and only weak quantitative evidence is available about their impact. This paper investigates the effects of these subsidies on the decision-making of acquisition editors and publishers about the circulation of literature in smaller European countries. To this end, I present the results of 47 semi-structured interviews with acquisition editors and publishers in five countries (the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, and Sweden). Despite the vast differences across these national publishing markets, a common typology based on their self-reported relative size and profile enables us to compare publishers internationally. Furthermore, this study reveals that the impact of subsidies differs depending on the type of publisher, its position in the publishing sphere and the risks the publisher perceives when making acquisition decisions.