Fixers: Agency, Translation, and the Early Global History of Literature

Zrinka Stahuljak's book "Fixers" challenges scholars to rethink how ideas and texts circulated in the medieval world, proposing that translators and interpreters played diverse, active roles as mediators of entire cultures, providing insider information, local guides, knowledge brokers, art distributors, and political players.

Format: Hardback
Length: 358 pages
Publication date: 16 February 2024
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

In this groundbreaking book, Zrinka Stahuljak takes scholars in medieval and translation studies on a transformative journey, challenging them to reexamine the intricate dynamics of ideas and texts in the medieval world. Conventional perspectives often portray translators as mere intermediaries, transmitting the author's intentions without adding their own creative interpretations. However, Stahuljak presents a fresh perspective rooted in the term "fixer," borrowed from journalism. By employing this term, Stahuljak captures the diverse and active roles played by medieval translators and interpreters as cultural mediators. These roles encompassed a wide range of responsibilities, including being insider informants, local guides, knowledge brokers, art distributors, and political players.

Through her meticulous research and compelling arguments, Stahuljak offers a groundbreaking new history of literature, art, translation, and social exchange. Rather than focusing solely on the author or the state, she presents a perspective from the fixer, highlighting the intricate web of relationships and exchanges that shaped the medieval world. Fixers sheds light on the complex processes through which ideas and texts traveled, transcending geographical boundaries and cultural barriers. It reveals the roles played by translators and interpreters as key agents in the dissemination of knowledge, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the negotiation of power dynamics.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in medieval studies, translation studies, cultural history, and the broader fields of literary and intellectual inquiry. It challenges our preconceived notions and offers a fresh perspective on the rich tapestry of the medieval world. By exploring the roles of fixers, Stahuljak provides valuable insights into the complex processes of cultural mediation and the profound impact of translation on the development of human civilization.

Weight: 594g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226830391