Translation and cultural diplomacy

Abstract

This chapter examines contemporary work on cultural diplomacy, provides examples of how culture has been used in politics, add some more commercial ideas on ‘nation branding’ that play into the question. It focuses on translation in this area of international affairs: how has translation been deployed, viewed and studied in the area of cultural diplomacy, and what more might be expected or possible? The overview article from The Oxford Handbook of Modern Diplomacy, entitled Cultural Diplomacy opens as follows: Cultural diplomacy springs from two premises. First, that good relation can take root in the fertile ground of understanding and respect. Second, cultural diplomacy rests on the assumption that art, language, and education are among the most significant entry points into a culture. The Linchpin of Public Diplomacy’ published by the US State Department in 2005, provides a contemporary approach to the subject. It is one of the few that recognizes the importance and power of translation in cultural diplomacy.