93198 - Japanese Pop Cultures: Training Seminar in Translation and Localization

Learning outcomes

At the end of the seminar (activity strictly related to the objectives of the degree course) students acquire specific skills and notions  dealing with linguistic and/or philological and/or literary and/or historical and/or artistic issues and problems. The seminar aims to introduce the different aspects of translation and localization of products of Japanese pop cultures (manga, animation, light novel, videogames), deepening the linguistic problems more specifically related to the professional approach.

Course contents

Queer in Translation – Queer Manga: Gender Identity and Publishing Strategies

The seminar  will be held by researchers in contemporary Japanese culture and manga, translators and publishing professionals. The aim is to provide attendees with basic skills in manga translation and a broader cultural frame. Students will focus on different aspects of the translation and localisation of queer manga, in particular on the most frequent translation problems related to the adaptation from Japanese language and culture to Italian, to narrative context, genre, ideal reader, intertextual and intercultural references.

Seminars  and workshops will be completed by online activities, carried out by the students themselves, organised in working groups supervised by the teaching staff.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in the NipPop Translation Slam 2025, the manga translation contest which will be held in June, during NipPop 2025, and which offers a contract with the prestigious publishing house.

A basic knowledge of Japanese language is required.

Students who are unable to attend should contact the teacher in advance.

Readings/Bibliography

Texts and teaching materials will be available online, on the Virtuale platform, at the beginning of the course.

Teaching methods

Seminars, workshops, working group activities. The active participation of students in classroom activities is essential for the achievement of educational goals.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of several partial tasks, linked to the activities carried out in the working groups, to be completed in order to obtain the eligibility of 3 cfu.

Teaching tools

Slides, video, media shared through Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Paola Scrolavezza