AIdentikit for Latin AmericaA is a collection of essays compiled by Gustav Siebenmann on the occasion of his 80th birthday. The first section is given over to fundamental considerations on cultural comparison and cultural identity. These are followed by essays on the quest for Latin American identity, the changes undergone by the image of Latin America in the mentality and literature of German-speaking nations, the role of the latter in the history of the continent, and their contribution to research on the region. After a comparison of the centenary celebrations to mark the discovery of America, the volume closes with a discussion of development problems.

As recent years have revealed, the concept of "translation" has grown increasingly important in a globalizing world and a multi-media society. Seeing translation as the negotiation of differences across identity constructions not only contributes to the understanding of contemporary cultural processes, but also makes it possible to find orientation and critical discerning in constantly changing social, political, and media spaces. This collection of essays discusses the "translational turn," proposing new theoretical approaches and providing new insights into the relation between narration and the construction of identity, between translation processes and the media.