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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

“Leisure can be of great geographical importance”
2013-09-26

 

Prof Gustav Etienne Visser
Photo: Supplied
26 September 2013
 

Prof Gustav Etienne Visser (43) is Professor in Human Geography at the University of the Free State. He has been with the university’s Geography Department since January 2002 and became a full professor in 2009.
Visser completed his MA in Geographical Research at the Stellenbosch University in 1996 and finished his PhD in Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2000. His thesis was titled: Spatialities of social justice: reflections on South African Cities.

Visser was a Post-doctoral Fellow at the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand before his appointment at the UFS. He now teaches Urban Geography to third-year students and Tourism and Development to MA students.

His research interests so far have been Identity-based consumption and urban morphological change, Tourism and development nexus and Critical reflections on South African Geographical Research.

Visser’s publications summary is as follows:

- Four books – edited collections
- 28 book chapters
- 71 refereed articles
- Nine academic commentaries and research notes
- 14 research reports
- and 38 conference papers

His latest research on how people’s leisure time influences our urban spaces, is fundamentally relevant to everyday life.

“We tend to forget to think about it, but how people spend their leisure time is part of their lifestyle,” says Visser.“ And our urban surroundings are influenced by the lifestyles of its inhabitants.”

When asked about his own leisure time and activities, Visser humorously responds “There is no such thing.”

However, he is passionate about eating, cooking and wine.
“I must also watch a series every day – Dexter is definitely my favourite.
“Furthermore, I also travel abroad for about three months of the year, which is mainly for my research concerning urban spaces.”

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