Rethinking the Meaning of Regions: Translation and CatastropheJon SolomonGlobalization has brought forth a considerable transformation in the meaning of the world’s geo-cultural regions. Apart from the excitement or anxiety this may produce, it is undoubtedly an opportunity to rethink the meaning of regions in general and the role of humanistic knowledge in their construction. The current move from conventional geo-cultural regions typical of modernity since the advent of colonial encounter to postmodern networked forms of organization brings new attention to the interconnections between translation and knowledge in the formation of globalized hierarchies. It is crucial to observe that the hierarchies of central concern are, to speak in very rough terms, of two different orders: the social and the cognitive. This essay considers the crucial role translation has played in the construction of socio-cognitive regions. It further asks how the current concern over biocultural diversity might be addressed in a way that considers the long term, biopolitical catastrophe of translation. |
Jon Solomonconference |