Beyond the Screen: Emerging Cinema and Engaging Audiences

Abstract

In *Against World Literature: On the Politics of Untranslatability* (2013), Emily Apter critiques the concept of "World Literature" and its implications for translation studies. Following the 9/11 attacks, there was a heightened emphasis on cross-cultural communication through translation as a means to prevent misunderstandings. However, this movement often overlooked the complexities and limitations inherent in translating literature across cultural contexts. Apter argues that World Literature courses, which emphasize reading texts from various countries in translation without deep contextual analysis, inadvertently reinforce Erich Auerbach's 1951 critique of Weltliteratur as both realized and destroyed within a single literary culture. Translation studies, while ostensibly promoting plurality, often aligns with the same homogenizing tendencies, treating untranslatability as an obstacle rather than a critical concept. By focusing on the political dimensions of untranslatability, Apter challenges translation studies to recognize its potential for addressing cultural misunderstandings and fostering genuine cross-cultural dialogue.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)