The translator as a social activist in the digital age

Abstract

Abstract This article presents a process-oriented, self-reflective study of my work translating a documentary play about anti-government protests in Belarus in 2020. It provides insights into the overlapping roles of translator, social activist and cultural mediator, and reflects on opportunities for collaboration in the digital sphere. Through an analysis of my own notes, interim versions of the translation, editorial revisions, correspondence and conversations with other participants, this article contributes to a deeper understanding of the various roles, stages and relationships found throughout the translation process, as well as the translator’s role in interacting with other stakeholders to express a unanimous protest against violence and oppression made possible by cooperation across borders in the digital sphere.