The Diversity Report 2010 is out: Mapping and analysing literary translations in Europe

The Diversity Report 2010 aims at portraying and mapping how a significant sample of the best renowned contemporary authors of literary fiction in Europe shape cultural diversity (and its limits) across 15 European book markets.

Translation of works of fiction makes stories, memories and idea travel across cultural boundaries. And literary authors and their work stand for the cultural richness of this continent.

However, our understanding of the flows of – and the barriers to – translation mostly lacks the empirical groundwork for a solid analysis.

Building on its two preceding reports, the Diversity Report 2010 will track ca. 200 well established fiction authors and their work across large parts of the European book markets and hence the cultural landscapes for a detailed account of

•  Who is translated into which languages, and who is not;

•  What languages are more receptive for translations, or are better received by other territories, than others;

•  What are the overarching patterns and trends with regard to translations of the core of European contemporary fiction?

Surveyed authors will include writers from English (British and South African), French, German, Austrian, Spanish, Swedish, Italian as well as, with specific emphasis, Central and Southeast Europe.

The Diversity Report 2010 will be presented and debated on March 31 st , 2011, at the World Book Summit 2011 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. ( www.wbs2011.si ) and at the London Book Fair, Centre for Literary Translation on April 12, 2011, 10 to 11 am.