Reimagining Language Justice Through the Art of Translation

Cristina Viti (Translator and Activist), Rosa Mucignat and Sanja Perovic (Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures), with contributions from a broad network of poets, translators, performers, publishers, and language activists, including collaborators from British Deaf History Society, Tenement Press, Francis Boutle Publishers, and others

Reimagining Language Justice Through the Art of Translation brought together poets, translators, publishers and activists to explore how language shapes power, identity and resistance. Led by Cristina Viti with collaborators Rosa Mucignat and Sanja Perovic, the project responded to the erasure of minoritised languages and the constraints of institutional language by creating spaces for dialogue, poetry and co-translation.

Rooted in the idea of “activist translation,” the programme addressed language injustices across a range of contexts—from marginalised UK languages like Cornish, Gaelic, Welsh, Scots and BSL, to the experience of navigating migration and bureaucracy. Through 11 drop-in sessions and a two-day conference, participants exchanged ideas and creative practices across generations and activist traditions.

The project revealed translation as both political and relational, while also exposing tensions between academic structures and activist urgency. Supported through the Activist-in-Residence scheme, the team now hopes to build on this work with further workshops and publications exploring language justice as a collective and creative force.

For full details of the project, please see the PDF case study below.

Reimagining Language Justice Through the Art of Translation – PDF Case Study