The Politics of Translation: Censorship in Arabic-English and English-Arabic Literary Translation

Abstract

Abstract

This research paper aims to deconstruct political censorship in Arabic literary translation through the lens of Manipulation Theory in three inspiring case studies: Basma Abdel Aziz's The Queue, Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, and Sonallah Ibrahim's The Committee. It examines how political and ideological motivations shape translation to yield alterations, deletions, and misrepresentations that align with agendas of the target culture. While The Queue is tactfully translated at the linguistic level to suit Western sensitivities, The Satanic Verses comes under outright censorship and restricted release in Arabic countries due to political and religious restraints. The committee undergoes translation modifications in which explicit political attacks are toned down or broadened to suit publication. This study synthesizes existing research on censorship, translation ethics, and ideological manipulation, highlighting how translation becomes an ideological negotiation platform rather than a linguistically neutral process. The research also investigates the ethical dilemmas that translators face in dealing with political constraints while ensuring textual integrity.