19.05.2025 Not Lost in Translation: Textbook Exploring Arabic Studies in 21st-century Germany
Clara-Auguste Süß in Conversation with Anis Ben Amor and Christian Junge On 19 November 2024, MECAM hosted a Rencontre Ibn Khaldun in Arabic, an event format designed to share research findings with the wider public and foster open, inclusive debate. The event was organized in cooperation with the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA). Dr. Christian Junge and Dr. Anis Ben Amor led a discussion on Arabic Studies in 21st-century Germany. They presented their collaborative translation project of the German-language textbook “Arabistik. Eine literatur- und kulturwissenschaftliche Einführung” (English: Arabic Studies: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies”) and highlighted approaches, methodologies and challenges in the field. On the same day, they also gave an interview to Radio Tunis Chaîne Internationale.
Christian Junge (CJ): With this event, we wanted to introduce Arab students and colleagues to the main features of the book “Arabistik. Eine literatur- und kulturwissenschaftliche Einführung” (English: Arabic Studies: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Studies”). The aim was also to see whether the theories and methods could be applied to Arabic studies within the Arab world. In any case, the response was overwhelming, and interest was very high. There were around 70 students and colleagues in the hall and there was a rush of questions after the lecture. Overall, I think it can be said that there is a great deal of curiosity and openness and there are many points of overlap in terms of content and theory. However, it is not yet possible to say whether the methodological and theoretical perspectives proposed in detail are shared. We will have to wait for the translation of the textbook to find out.
Anis Ben Amor (ABA): That is true. In general, I think, there is a growing demand for translation from German to Arabic in the contemporary academic landscape of the Arab world, especially in areas that touch on Arabic culture, society, arts, history, language, and religion. The panel discussion we had in November in Tunis served as a key event to further interdisciplinarity. This discussion brought together scholars from various academic fields, creating a platform for a multi-faceted conversation about the project’s outcomes and the broader implications of the translated work. The panel discussion allowed participants to share their insights, ask questions, and generate new ideas for future interdisciplinary collaborations.
CAS: That certainly sounds like a very interesting event! I am curious – when did you start working together? How did your collaboration evolve over time and what makes it special?
ABA: Our collaboration on the book translation began last year when I was a visiting scholar at the Seminar for Semitic Studies in Jena from July to September 2024. The stay was funded by the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA), based at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) in Berlin, in the framework of the academy’s Research Mobility Programproject. In Jena, I was investigating current trends in the academic discourse of German-speaking Arabic studies. I translated selected German research literature into Arabic, thereby building a bridge between the academic traditions in Germany and Tunisia. A joint seminar with German and Tunisian students is planned for this year. During my research mobility project, I observed a key gap: the limited availability of translations from German into Arabic in the fields of Orientalism, Arabic Studies, and Islamic Studies. Aside from the works of scholars like Annemarie Schimmel, there are few translations from German in these fields, particularly those by contemporary academics. This gap restricts Arabic scholars’ access to recent academic discussions, stifling innovation and cross-cultural academic exchange. Translating contemporary German academic works in these fields would provide Arabic scholars with the opportunity to engage with the latest research, foster collaboration, and enrich scientific dialogue between German and Arabic academic communities. With this motivation in mind, I started working together with Christian, after deciding to focus my translation project exclusively on their book by the end of July 2024.
CJ: When Anis contacted us concerning a possible translation, we were immediately enthusiastic about the project. We had written the textbook in 2021 for German students and researchers interested in modern and contemporary Arabic literature and culture, to introduce them to a variety of theories and methods. We were very pleased that this book could also be of interest to Arab students and colleagues.
ABA: I was also very pleased when I asked Christian to collaborate with me and reach out to the co-authors for permission to translate their collective book. It was a very special collaboration because Christian is not only a co-author of the book, but also an AGYA alumnus, and we have already known each other through the AGYA network for quite some time. As a scholar of Arabic Studies, Christian provided valuable advice, especially concerning the translation of key concepts from German into Arabic.
CAS: Amazing! Could you please explain what this German-language textbook on Arabic Studies (original title: “Arabistik – eine literatur- und kulturwissenschaftliche Einführung”) is about? And why do you believe translating it into Arabic is important?
ABA: Exactly. With the translation of the teaching manual, we aim to promote an understanding of contemporary German scholarship working in the field of Arabic Studies. This is also what we discussed during the event in November.
CAS: How is the translation process progressing so far? What aspects have been particularly challenging? And in what ways does translating this textbook differ from other translation projects you have undertaken in the past?
ABA: The translation is in its final phase. Before printing, the text will be reviewed by scholars of Arabic Studies from both Tunisia and Germany.
CJ: One of the challenges is that this book was written for German-speaking readers. A large part of the research literature as well as the research terminology is therefore rooted in German-language research. The challenge now is to translate these terms into Arabic in an understandable and precise way and at the same time to make them compatible with and fruitful for Arabic research.
ABA: For me, too, one of the main challenges lies in translating many key concepts from German into Arabic. Some of these concepts would be easier to translate into French within our academic Tunisian context. However, great effort is required to carefully compare the translated key concepts with the original German terms. This task is really time-consuming. From my experience as a translator, I have worked on translating novels as well as various economic and legal texts from German into Arabic. The approach is very different. It is essential to well-versed in the specific jargon of the field before beginning the translation. The specific differences are the mastering of the academic jargon before we begin translating. Furthermore, literary and academic translation are very different, even for someone like me, who is a literary scholar. Literary translation is an art (“Kunst”), as we have to capture the spirit of the text and conveying it accurately in the translation.
CAS: Who is the target group, and what do you hope readers will take away from the book, in both its German and Arabic versions?
CJ: The target group includes Arabists and Germanists, but also Anglicists, Romanists and philosophers interested in comparative studies. I would like them to understand the different theories and methods used by German-speaking Arabic studies to research modern Arabic literature and culture, and to establish connections to their own research discourses.
CAS: What a great initiative! I am sure the book will be well-received. To conclude this conversation, allow me one last question: Based on your research and experience, what advice would you offer to current and future scholars in the fields of Arabic and German Studies?
CJ: Two things: firstly, it is important to engage with Arabic research discourses and to present your research in Arabic, for example. Secondly, a comparative dimension is always helpful. In the case of Anis and me, this is the comparison between German and Arabic studies, or more precisely, German studies abroad in Tunisia and Arabic studies abroad in Germany.
ABA: Adding to this, I would like to take a step back and highlight that the impact of German thinkers on contemporary Arabic thought is strongly emphasized in Arabic academic discourse. One could find rich and relevant contributions to cultural, political and philosophical Arabic thought, particularly through the translation of the works of Jürgen Habermas, Martin Heidegger, Max Weber and the Frankfort School, etc. These influences span various fields, including literary studies, philosophy and sociology. We need to continue translating German academic research on Orientalism, Arabic and Islamic Studies into Arabic, especially those related to literary, philosophical, and socio-critical approaches. Such translations are important for enhancing the mechanisms of thinking, analysis, and criticism among Arab researchers. This could reinforce the dialogue on equal footing and promote fruitful exchanges between Arab and German researchers. Interdisciplinary collaboration and joint research projects between Arab and German universities, along with regular meetings and shared academic activities, can open new avenues for research, challenge stereotypes and clichés, and foster the development of innovative research topics.
About the Authors
Dr. Anis Ben Amor is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tunis El Manar. He studied Literary and Cultural Studies at Humboldt University in Berlin and holds a PhD from the same University. During his PhD studies in Germany, he participated in seminars and projects of the Institute of Advanced Studies (Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin). Ben Amor was Project Coordinator of the Research Group “Tunisia in Transition” during 2013 and 2014. His research lies at the intersection of literary, cultural and translation studies, and deals with education policy. He is an alumnus of the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA).
Dr. Christian Junge is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher in the field of modern Arabic literature and culture at the Center for Near and Middle East Studies (CNMS) at the University of Marburg. He was Visiting Professor at the University of Bamberg and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and is an alumnus of the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA). Junge studied Comparative Literature and Arabic Studies in Berlin, Paris and Cairo and received his PhD from the Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School of Literary Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin. His recent book project deals with emotions and affects in contemporary Egyptian literature from 1990 to 2020.
Dr. Clara-Auguste Süß is the Outreach and Transfer Manager for the Merian Center for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA). She is responsible for organizing and coordinating MECAM’s outreach events, effectively the Rencontres Ibn Khaldun and the MECAM Policy Talk, as well as MECAM’s representation at (inter)national scientific conferences.
Citation: Anis Ben Amor; Christian Junge; Clara-Auguste Süß, Not Lost in Translation: Textbook Exploring Arabic Studies in 21st-century Germany, in: TRAFO – Blog for Transregional Research, 15.05.2025, https://trafo.hypotheses.org/57248