Translation and traditions: Taha Abderrahmane’s intersectional views as a threshold for cultural dialogue

Abstract

ABSTRACT Translation Studies, like other disciplines within humanities and social sciences, is marked by a certain scholarly dominance of Eurocentric episteme and Western philosophical tradition. The significance of other translation histories and orientations appears to be simply obliterated or relegated to peripherical statuses. Recently, there has been a growing upsurge in cross-cultural calls to decentralize these Studies by encouraging openness to other non-western traditions of translation. The emergence of new anthologies, for instance, celebrating Arab and Chinese traditions of translation may testify to this new trend in Translation Studies. This paper aims to shed light on Arabs’ contribution to the field of translation practice and theory. This is meant to pave the ground for discussing the intersectional translation view of Taha Abderrahmane, a contemporary Moroccan philosopher and thinker who, broadly speaking, works on Arab-Islamic philosophy. The paper argues that Taha’s understanding of translation allows for intertextual discursivity and cultural interchanges between different traditions. This perspective seeks to furnish the canvas for open dialogue that is free of essentialism and politicized fanaticism.