Research Project 1: Translation Historiography in Iran

Translation Historiography in Iran

Researcher: Dr. Fatemeh Parham, Associate Professor of Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba'i University

Abstract: 

This research project endeavored to examine works related to the history of translation in Iran with two approaches: historiography and scientometrics. To this end, with certain Persian and English keywords, Iranian and non-Iranian databases were systematically queried to retrieve works published within the last fifty years (1971 to 2021, corresponding to 1350-1399 in the solar calendar), resulting in a dataset comprising 1212 works. Bibliographic details of these works were meticulously recorded and subsequently classified into 9 distinct categories for comprehensive analysis employing the aforementioned approaches.

The scientometric analysis was performed on all 9 categories, comprising the entire dataset of 1212 works. Employing VOSviewer version 1.6.20 (2023), eight distinct features within the works were studied: Geography, Time, Authors, Languages, Universities, Academic Fields, Journal Affiliations, and Journal Titles. Through density and network visualizations, the distribution of knowledge within the works on the history of translation in Iran was illuminated, offering insights into their scholarly landscape.

The historiographical analysis was confined to a single category of the data, namely “Iranian Scholarly Journal Articles” which comprised 370 documents. This phase of analysis necessitated a collaborative effort involving one project director, three senior research assistants and thirteen junior research assistants. Thematic analysis and comprehensive examination of entire articles were undertaken, exploring eight distinct features: Time Periods, Text Genres, Language Pairs, Key Translators, Key Authors, Key Works, Themes, and Theoretical Frameworks. This analytical approach facilitated a nuanced understanding of the discourse on history of translation in Iran within Iranian scholarly literature.

Research Questions:
This research project endeavored to address and answer two series of research questions employing two separate theoretical frameworks. The first set is examined and responded to within the framework of scientometrics, while the second series is approached within the framework of historiography.

First Series: Scientometric Approach

These research questions delve into the geographical and temporal attributes, along with the language, producers, and affiliations of producers in works related to the history of translation in Iran. These aspects are examined across nine categories of works, encompassing Iranian monographs, Iranian book chapters, Iranian scholarly journal articles, Iranian non-scholarly journal articles, Iranian newspaper articles, Iranian theses and dissertations, as well as non-Iranian book chapters, non-Iranian monographs, and non-Iranian scholarly journal articles.

1. What is the geographical distribution of the Iranian and non-Iranian works on the history of translation in Iran?
2. What is the temporal distribution of the Iranian and non-Iranian works on the history of translation in Iran?
3. Who are the key Iranian and non-Iranian authors contributing to the literature on the history of translation in Iran?
4. To what extent does literature on the history of translation in Iran exhibit language diversity?
5. What Iranian universities are most frequently affiliated with authors contributing to the literature on the history of translation in Iran?
6. What are the academic fields of authors contributing to the literature on the history of translation in Iran?
7. What are the institutional affiliations of the Iranian journals contributing to the literature on the history of translation in Iran?
8. What Iranian scholarly journals have the highest contribution to the literature on the history of translation in Iran?
9. What non-Iranian scholarly journals have the highest contribution to the literature on the history of translation in Iran?

Second Series: Historiographical Approach

These research questions explore eight distinct variables in Iranian scholarly journal articles published on the history of translation in Iran.Top of Form

1. Which historical periods are investigated in Iranian scholarly journal articles on the history of translation in Iran?
2. Which textual genres are investigated in Iranian scholarly journal articles on the history of translation in Iran?
3. Which language pairs are examined in Iranian scholarly journal articles on the history of translation in Iran?
4. Which translators are studied in Iranian scholarly journal articles on the history of translation in Iran?
5. Which authors are studied in Iranian scholarly journal articles on the history of translation in Iran?
6. Which works are examined in Iranian scholarly journal articles on the history of translation in Iran?
7. What themes are explored in Iranian scholarly journal articles on the history of translation in Iran?
8. Which theoretical frameworks are employed in Iranian scholarly journal articles on the history of translation in Iran?

 

Senior Research Assistants:

Dr. Parviz Rassouli, PhD, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Dr. Zahra Atefmehr, PhD, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Fatemeh Javadi, PhD Candidate, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Ali Arjmandi Nahand, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Junior Research Assistants:

Zahra Najafi, MA, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Samira Moghanibashi, MA, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Mohammad Shokoohifar, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Pegah Shahidi, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Kiana Salehian, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Marzieh Boland, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Kosar Boudaghi Etergoleh, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Belgheis Sheikhzadeh, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

SeyedMohammad Mirghazanfar, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Kimia Jafarian, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Masoud Nayeb Sadeghi, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Reza Fayezi, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Samin Salajegheh, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Seyedeh Kosar Majd, MA Student, Translation Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University