Lingnan Translation Conference 2026: Translators, Texts, and Contexts: Reclaiming Human Agency in the Age of AI Hong Kong, December 11-12, 2026 |
| Conference website | https://www.ln.edu.hk/tran/conferences/conference2026 |
| Submission link | https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ttcrhaai2026 |
| Abstract registration deadline | March 31, 2026 |
| Submission deadline | March 31, 2026 |
Call for Papers:
Translators, Texts, and Contexts: Reclaiming Human Agency in the Age of AI
Hosted by Department of Translation, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
11-12 December 2026 | M+ Museum, Kowloon, Hong Kong
As artificial intelligence (AI) sweeps through the landscape of language mediation, the classical trio of Translators, Texts, and Contexts remains central to understanding the art, ethics, and politics of translation. While AI tools offer unprecedented efficiencies in text processing, they often lack the human capacity for nuanced judgment and cultural contextualisation that remain essential to traditional translation studies scholarship.
This conference invites a critical return to the foundational pillars of our discipline: the Translator as cultural mediator, the Text as a site of meaning negotiation, and the Context as the dynamic framework shaping both process and product. We seek to explore how classical methodologies—from hermeneutics and philology to functionalist, historical, and socio-critical approaches—continue to offer indispensable insights, even as researchers increasingly rely on AI tools.
We welcome contributions that foreground human agency, textual depth, and contextual richness in translation research. Topics may include (but are not limited to):
- The translator’s voice, visibility, and ethics in AI-assisted workflows.
- Textual analysis and literary criticism augmented (not replaced) by technology.
- Contextual frameworks (historical, cultural, political) that challenge algorithmic neutrality.
- Theoretical reappraisals of traditional paradigms (e.g., Skopos, Descriptive Translation Studies, Polysystem) in contemporary digital contexts.
- Pedagogical approaches highlighting humanistic skills amid technological evolution.
- Pedagogical strategies for developing translators’ ethical and intercultural competencies amid technological revolution.
Our goal is to reaffirm that contextual intelligence, textual fidelity, and translatorial responsibility cannot be automated—and that the deepest questions of meaning, power, and representation still demand human-centred scholarship.
We aim for a collected volume with an international publisher, and full submission of papers will be considered by Translation Quarterly, published by the Hong Kong Translation Society, for the post-conference publication.
The conference will also include two master classes and one workshop as additional series of events:
10 December: Master Classes by Prof. Theo Hermans and Prof. Haun Saussy
12 December: Literary Translation Workshop by Prof. Alexander Bubb
Please see details of the additional series of events below.
Master Classes Speakers and Conference Keynote Speakers
- Theo Hermans (Master Class and Keynote Speech):
Emeritus Professor of Dutch and Comparative Literature
University College London
- Haun Saussy (Master Class and Keynote Speech):
Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilisations
University of Chicago
- Yifeng Sun (Keynote Speech):
Chair Professor of Translation Studies
University of Macau
- Rachel Lung (Keynote Speech):
Professor and Department Head
Lingnan University, Hong Kong
- Dechao Li (Keynote Speech):
Professor
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Workshop Guest Speaker
- Alexander Bubb:
Associate Professor
University of Roehampton London
Workshop title:
Asian Classics on the Victorian Bookshelf: The Agency of Amateur Translators and Non-expert Readers
Detailed information about the conference and additional series of events is as follows:
Dates
Master Classes: 10 December 2026
Conference: 11-12 December 2026
Literary Translation Workshop: 12 December 2026
Venues
Master Classes:
Main Campus of Lingnan University,
8 Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong
Conference and Workshop:
M+ Museum, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Mode
Face-to-Face
Conference language
English
Organisers
Department of Translation, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
Requirements for Conference Submissions
We welcome presentations that fit the topics of the conference or that are related to the conference theme in a broader sense.
We invite submissions of abstracts for oral presentations via Easy Chair by 31 March 2026.
Each presentation will be 20 minutes long, followed by a 5-minute discussion.
Abstract submissions will be reviewed by members of the Programme Committee, and decisions notified by end of May 2026.
Abstract submissions must include the following information in English:
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·Name(s) of author(s) ·Institutional affiliation(s) ·Email address(es) ·Title of presentation ·An abstract of 250 to 400 words in English ·A list of keywords (up to 5)
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Easy Chair Link: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ttcrhaai2026
Please also submit an Author biographical note(s) of 50 to 100 words each through the File Submission in the submission page as PDF files.
Fees:
REGISTRATION FEES must be paid for attending this conference, with fee standards as follows:
- Full-time Professionals: HK$1300
- Full-time Students (with proof): HK$800
Registration fees will cover conference bags, programmes, souvenirs, refreshments, coffee breaks, and two lunches (on both conference days).
Conference dinner is provided with EXTRA fees:
- Conference dinner: HK$450
Conference dinner is provided only once on the second day of the conference.
Mode of Payment
All fees are paid online or via bank transfer. Cash payment is NOT accepted for the conference:
- Email confirmation with detailed payment methods will be sent to registered participants.
- Payment options available both inside and outside Hong Kong will be informed in the registration confirmation email.
- Cash payments are not accepted for easier management.
- Participants who have paid the registration and dinner fees will receive separate confirmation emails.
- For participants from affiliated institutions requesting attendance proof to support their funding applications, after registration, confirmation will be made via email, and a separate email will be sent with the payment receipt.
The Department of Translation, Lingnan University, warmly invites translation scholars, theorists, and practitioners from around the globe to contribute to this conversation. We look forward to welcoming you to the dynamic cultural hub of Hong Kong and the inspiring venue of M+ Museum for what promises to be a stimulating and thought-provoking gathering on 11-12, December, 2026.
Important Dates:
Submission Opens: 18 November 2025
Submission Deadline: 31 March 2026
Acceptance Notifications Announced: 31 May 2026
Registration Opens: 1 September 2026
Registration Deadline: 15 October 2026 (to make sure your presentation is included in the conference programme)
Enquiry:
Department of Translation, Lingnan University
Email: trans@LN.edu.hk