Communication, media and discourse

Description: In defiance of an increasingly hostile rhetoric and political climate towards migration, there has been a surge of online audio/visual platforms where immigrants come together to highlight their ethnic identities. In the context of transit migration in Mexico, this project explores transnational identity formation among Latinx migrants, looking at how they translate their lived experiences to a digital space through audiovisual self-representation. Combining theories and methods of Translation, Migration and (Digital) Media Studies, this research aims to analyse how a sense of identity and belonging emerges on migratory routes and in digital spaces where information circulates and transnational communities are forged. Youtube channels, Facebook, Whatsapp groups, etc. about and by Latin-American migrants are treated in this project as new forms of translation whose discourse can be defined through their contexts, actors, and practices.
Website research project: https://research.ugent.be/web/result/project/f7873505-674d-11ee-b1ad-3dd08fb7752a/details/bof-sta-202309-006-belonging-in-translation--the-audiovisual-transfer-of-latinidad/en
Promoter(s): Alexandra Sanchez , July De Wilde
Researcher(s): Elisa Robbe
Faculty / Faculties: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy , Faculty of Political and Social Sciences
Period of time: 2023 - 2027

Description: The aim of this project is firstly to map out the different face-work strategies adopted by interpreters in dialogue interpreting. The focus is on both verbal and non-verbal face-work. Secondly, this project will look at face-work in different forms of interpreting, on-site interpreting and video-remote interpreting, and how interpreters deal with the specificities of those two modes. Thirdly, the project will explore the interpreter's own judgments, experience and strategies when it comes to face-work. Several studies have individuated different verbal strategies adopted by interpreters to cope with face-work, both of the primary participants’ and of their own. As regards the non-verbal strategies, however, little to no attention has been given to finding out how these come into play. Further research is required to obtain a clearer view on how non-verbal behaviour can influence face-work.
Promoter(s): July De Wilde , Jelena Vranjes
Researcher(s): Dries Cavents
Faculty / Faculties: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy
Period of time: 2021 - 2025

Description: The following research questions are investigated: how do interpreters relate to written reports being drafted during interpreter-mediated encounters and what determines the performance and conduct of interpreters most, their professional status or the context in which they operate?
Website research project: https://research.flw.ugent.be/en/projects/impid-interpreter-mediated-police-interviewing-cum-drafting
Promoter(s): Bart Defrancq , Antoinette Verhage , Mieke Vandenbroucke
Researcher(s): Sofie Verliefde , Helena Snoeck
Faculty / Faculties: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy
Period of time: 2018 - 2026

Description: The persuasive function of metaphors has long been taken for granted. Because of their ability to structure abstract topics in terms of concrete domains of experience, while ""emphasizing"" some aspects of the topic of conversation and ""hiding"" others, metaphors in the news media are considered a powerful tool for influencing people's thinking and actions. Recently, this assumption has come under increasing fire due to shaky empirical support and conflicting experimental evidence. This project sheds light on the controversial persuasive power of metaphors in the media. Using El Diario's coverage of the Latin American migration debate, it attempts to address the shortcomings of previous approaches to metaphors. Rather than relying solely on close-text analysis, this study takes real media producers and consumers seriously in its account of metaphorical patterns.
Website research project: https://research.flw.ugent.be/en/projects/not-so-persuasive-potential-metaphorical-language-news-media-communication-framing-latin
Promoter(s): Renata Enghels , Geert Jacobs
Researcher(s): Laurence De Backer
Faculty / Faculties: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy
Period of time: 2021 - 2025