Hannah Arendt in Armenian Translation
2 min readYEREVAN, Armenia – The American University of Armenia’s (AUA) Graduate Certificate in Translation program is excited to announce the publication of eight essays and articles by political theorist Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) in Armenian translation.
In May 2015, faculty member Shushan Avagyan of the Graduate Certificate in Translation program received a faculty research award to work with a team of students and graduates, who throughout their studies had shown a professional acumen in translation and dedication to research, on the selection and translation of several texts by Hannah Arendt.
Despite her worldwide recognition, Hannah Arendt’s name and works are not very familiar to the Armenian reader; in fact, none of her books have been translated into Armenian. The essays and articles chosen for this translation project are all related to the analysis of political existence as distinct from other realms of human activity critical for anyone committed to building a civil society. The volume, titled after the first article, includes: “We Refugees” (1943), “Expansion and the Philosophy of Power” (1946); “Ideology and Terror: A Novel Form of Government” (1953); “The Origins of Totalitarianism: A Reply” (1953); “Karl Jaspers: Citizen of the World?” (1957); “What Is Authority?” (1958); “Society and Culture” (1960), “War and Revolution” (1963). The translators of the volume have worked hard to make these critical texts available to the different professional communities in Armenia and the public at large.
Since its launch in the fall of 2012, the Graduate Certificate in Translation program has consistently cultivated a translational environment where the driving force behind the unique achievements have been the spirit of free inquiry and promotion of cross-cultural exchange. “Our students and graduates have particularly focused on the introduction of new voices to Armenian readers, translating such writers as William Burroughs, Susan Sontag, Christopher Merrill, etc., for widely read journals such as Arteria, Granish, and Inknagir,” says Avagyan. “I hope that we can continue working in this direction, promoting critical and creative reflection on translational processes and advancing the pursuit of excellence in translation activities.”
Note: A free copy of the book We Refugees by Hannah Arendt can be acquired from AUA’s Papazian Library. The book presentation will be held on Friday, October 28, in Akian Gallery.