Translating and interpreting in crises is emotionally and cognitively demanding, with crisis communication in intercultural and multilingual disaster settings relying on a multitude of cross-cultural mediators and ever-emerging new technologies. This volume explores the challenges and demands involved in translating crises and the ways in which people, technologies and organisations look for effective, impactful solutions to the communicative problems. Problematising the major issues, but also providing solutions and recommendations, chapters reflect on and evaluate the role of translation and interpreting in crisis settings. Covering a diverse range of situations from across the globe, such as health emergencies, severe weather events, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, conflicts, and mass migration, this volume analyses practices and investigates the effectiveness of current approaches and communication strategies. The book considers perspectives, from interpreting specialists, educators, emergency doctors, healthcare professionals, psychologists, and members of key NGOs, to reflect the complex and multifaceted nature of crisis communication. Placing an emphasis on lessons learnt and innovative solutions, Translating Crises points the way towards more effective multilingual emergency communication in future crises.

Contributors to this volume discuss different types of emergencies and conflicts and how challenging these multilingual operational environments are for linguists. The growth in reach and number of international relief operations has exposed the limits of current research into these challenges. Evidence in disaster management studies suggests communication remains a major operational issue. This book calls for enhanced focus on the role of translators and interpreters in emergencies by discussing existing research and questions which have emerged from experience in the field. Contributions in this volume undeniably demonstrate the need for multidisciplinary studies in mediating multilingual emergencies. They consider emergencies in hospitals (Cox and Lazaro Gutierrez), in disaster response (Dogan), in bespoke training to translators in fast-developing crises (O'Brien), and in planning responses in predictably dangerous habitats (Razumovskaya & Bartashova). The volume also illustrates scenarios in which discourse on language mediation shows bias by limiting political dialogues (Al Shehari), by conditioning news reporting (Skorokhod), and by enforcing stereotypical notions of linguists in wars (Gaunt).

Intercultural Crisis Communication poses pertinent questions and provides powerful responses to crises that have characterised the modern world since 2010. Language mediation in situations of disaster, emergency and conflict is an under-developed area of scholarship in Translation Studies. This book responds to a clear need for research drawn from practical experiences in the field and explores the crucial role of translation, interpretation and mediation in contexts of crises. Particular consideration is given to situations where rare or minority languages represent a substantial obstacle to humanitarian operations. Contemporary case studies from the USA, Africa, Europe, and Armenia provide major examples of crisis communication that call for more efficient language mediation. Such examples include Syrian displacement, the refugee crisis in Croatia and Italy, international terrorism and national public administration, interpreting in conflict and for Medecins sans Frontieres, as well as the integration of refugee doctors for employment in the UK. With contributions from experts in the field, this volume is of international relevance and provides a multifaceted overview of intercultural communication issues and remedies during crises.

Intercultural Crisis Communication poses pertinent questions and provides powerful responses to crises that have characterised the modern world since 2010. Language mediation in situations of disaster, emergency and conflict is an under-developed area of scholarship in Translation Studies. This book responds to a clear need for research drawn from practical experiences in the field and explores the crucial role of translation, interpretation and mediation in contexts of crises. Particular consideration is given to situations where rare or minority languages represent a substantial obstacle to humanitarian operations. Contemporary case studies from the USA, Africa, Europe, and Armenia provide major examples of crisis communication that call for more efficient language mediation. Such examples include Syrian displacement, the refugee crisis in Croatia and Italy, international terrorism and national public administration, interpreting in conflict and for Medecins sans Frontieres, as well as the integration of refugee doctors for employment in the UK. With contributions from experts in the field, this volume is of international relevance and provides a multifaceted overview of intercultural communication issues and remedies during crises.