Translation as Intercultural Mediation: The evolution of a paradigm

This paper investigates the epistemological and ontological evolution of the paradigm translation as intercultural mediation. It starts from sketching the trend towards broadening the notion of translation to embrace the cultural dimension crucial to developments in Translation Studies and Intercultural Mediation. The complex interconnectedness between translation and culture is here understood as a core feature of the interface between translation and Intercultural Mediation which is then explored. Strengths and limitations of the paradigm are also discussed. This chapter challenges the assumption that neutrality is an inherent characteristic of mediation, or indeed can be a sine qua non basis of any academic investigation; and that includes translation studies.