Translation as Cultural Production: An Analysis of the Role of Literary Translation in the Economics of the Arts

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Department of English Language & Literature, Faculty of Letters & Humanities, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract
This exploratory research views translation as a socio-economic act within the cultural goods’ production, distribution, and consumption chain. It examines the contribution of literary translation to the economics of the arts in Iran over three years. The data were gathered in collaboration with the Iran Book and Literature House, and the focus was on the publication of original and translated books in the field of literature. The study’s theoretical framework integrates Bourdieu’s field theory, the creative economy, and Lefevere’s rewriting theory. In addition to providing statistics on translation production as an economic indicator, the findings implicitly reflect cultural literacy and the public’s reception of literary translation. Furthermore, the findings provide a picture of translation’s share in the cultural and economic value of art, which can serve as a basis for cultural policy-making, institutional support for translators, and the enhancement of cultural literacy in society.

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