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03 June 2020 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin
Prof Kobus Marais, the founder of the JTSA, at the launch of his Indexicality Research Forum in 2019.
The newly launched Journal for Translation Studies in Africa (JTSA) by Prof Kobus Marais from the Department of Linguistics and Language Practice at the University of the Free State (UFS), is the result of various efforts over a period of more than a decade.

“The first Summer School for Translation Studies in Africa 2009 stands out as one of the first efforts to think about the concept of translation in Africa,” said Prof Marais. A subsequent series of summer schools also led to the formation of the Association for Translation Studies (ATSA) in Africa in 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya. 

The journal is an open-sourced, peer-reviewed publication, boasting scholarly papers, book reviews, opinion pieces and work by young scholars within translation studies. The first edition of the journal was made possible with financial support from Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation and the Directorate: Research Development at the UFS. 


First edition to focus on African translation phenomena 

The JTSA is an attempt to start scholarly debate with a focus on Africa as a developmental context in which to study translation phenomena and practices. The first edition will guest edited by Dr Carmen Delgado Luchner from the University of Geneva who is an accredited European Union interpreter. In the editorial of the first edition, Prof Marais and Dr Delgado Luchner set out the vision of the journal, namely: “to offer a high-level publication outlet to translation-studies scholars from Africa, African translation-studies scholars in the diaspora and scholars in general working on African topics in translation studies”.

“It would disseminate their work in order to advance the field of translation studies in Africa and to position Africa in relation to the rest of the world as far as translation studies are concerned.”

The editorial board of the JTSA consists of Prof Kobus Marais, the editor-in-chief, who will be assisted by three sub-editors, who each take responsibility for one of the sections. They are: Dr Francis Ajayi – Agenda (opinion pieces); Dr Felix Awung – reviews; and Dr Mwamba Chibamba – New Voices (young scholars). 

Apart from the editorial board there is an International Advisory Board consisting of various translation scholars. “This journal will be devoted to translation studies in Africa, with its wealth of languages, its innovative and creative language and translation practices and policies,” said Prof Reine Meylaerts, Vice-Rector: Research Policy at Katholieke Universitiet Leuven, who serves on the advisory board. She also praised the JTSA for its multilingualism and being an example of Open Science. 

Other scholars on the advisory board are: Prof Rita Kothari (Ashoka University in India); Prof John Milton (University of São Paulo, Brazil); Prof Jacobus Naude (UFS); Prof Maria Tymoczko (University of Massachusetts, Amherst); and Prof Rita Wilson (Monash University). 

News Archive

Vice-Chancellor honoured with major awards
2013-05-02

02 May 2013

The University of the Free State (UFS) is proud to announce that Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, has been awarded a number of major awards recently.

The University of California in the United States awarded him the Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance. The award is made in recognition of persons who exemplify in their work the delivery of social justice, diplomacy and tolerance in the diverse local and global society.

“The committee was very impressed with the commitment that Prof Jansen has had to reconciliation and forgiveness as a way to build bridges and to find common ground. Prof Jansen is following in the steps of many of our greatest peace-time leaders and we support his efforts to bring understanding to all cultures,” said Mark Aldenderfer, chair of the awards committee and Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Art at the University of California.

Prof Jansen also received the 2013 Academia Award at the Sixth Annual Ubuntu Lecture and Dialogue Awards Ceremony of the Turquoise Harmony Institute on 4 April 2013 in Johannesburg. The Institute aims to foster relations among different faith and cultural traditions to contribute to the well-being of humanity.

According to the organisers, “outstanding individuals who made noteworthy contributions to dialogue, peace and harmony in the society,” are given recognition during the ceremony. The awards are made in a number of different categories. Prof Jansen was among the recipients who included Graca Machel and the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF). Previous winners of Turquoise Awards include Ahmed Kathrada, Chester Williams, Dr Frene Ginwala and Prof Russel Botman.

On 10 May 2013, Prof Jansen was also honoured by Kappa Delta Pi International Honour Society in Education. He was awarded membership of the Laureate Chapter of the society founded in 1911 which “is comprised of men and women who have made distinguished contributions to education, and is limited to 60 living persons”. Prof Jansen joins an exclusive membership of 293 which includes such luminaries as Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jean Piaget and George Washington Carver.

Also in the United States, Prof Jansen has been invited to be Messenger Lecturer for Fall 2013 at Cornell University. He will give three lectures and interact with the students and staff of Cornell at various functions.

“This is a significant honour and it will really allow members from across the university to get a deeper appreciation of the work you are doing at UFS and in South Africa more broadly,” said Prof Judith Byfield of Cornell’s Department of History and Director of Graduate Studies at the department’s Africana Studies and Research Centre.

On the local front, City Press published its inaugural 100 World Class South Africans on 28 April 2013. During a rigorous selection process, 100 of our country’s most extraordinary citizens who have achieved world-class status were chosen. Prof Jansen’s achievements procured him a place on this prestigious list in the category: Heroes and Mavericks.

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