119 – Beyond English: Book blogging, e-publishing, AI tools: New ways to publish translations? – Discussion panel on translating and translations of South Asian literature on the German-speaking and European book market
The idea of this panel is that, on the one hand, there are those who translate or can translate from the respective languages. These are mostly people who teach South Asian languages and literatures at universities. It is a source of regret among South Asian scholars that South Asian authors are hardly recognized in the international book world.
On the other hand, even though short prose texts and poems are much better suited to familiarizing students with original South Asian literature from a university didactic perspective, this does not correspond to the general publishing taste, which gives preference to novels. The younger reading generation has increasingly opened up new ways of reading (and writing) in social media and associated forms of communication.
Against this background, only a few publishers are prepared to embark on the adventure of publishing South Asian literature. The general economic crisis, which has driven up costs, is making it even more difficult for publishers to get involved in this area.
The discussion panel is intended to go beyond the circle of “the usual suspects” and bring together actors who are otherwise hardly aware of each other and, if possible, to provide an impulse to bring together the book market, readers' interests and new forms of the book industry and communication about books, such as book blogging, literary agents, e-books, virtual book clubs, e.a.
This should encourage broadening the perspective in university teaching, which has largely overlooked these developments. It should also promote greater recognition of South Asian non-English literature in Germany and Europe, viewing this as an opportunity to understand the world beyond one's own backyard.