Perspectives on translation and world literature

ABSTRACT This article presents an overview of world literature with regards to comparative and translation studies, notably through the publications of André Lefevere, Susan Bassnett and Edwin Gentzler, as an introduction to this thematic special issue, which showcases the variety of approaches and interests in literature by translation scholars. Although literary translation accounts for a small percentage of all the translation work carried out in the world, it continues to attract considerable attention on the part of academics and researchers. This interest is partly a result of the change of status of translated works since the mid-twentieth century, as translation research was gradually accepted as crucial by comparatists. The articles selected for this thematic issue, which look at literary translation in China, Latin America, Europe and India, analyze some important topics such as the role of translators as initiators of the translation process, the imprint they leave on the target texts and on the target cultures, the translation of gender and the significance of translation projects.