English as<i>lingua academica</i>: The case of the Chinese Translation Fund for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Abstract

In recent years, China has been attempting to raise its international profile in the domain of academic research. However, in the humanities and social sciences, this process has been hindered by the inadequate English academic writing skills of Chinese scholars, as well as by cultural differences between China and the West as regards ideological preference, aesthetic taste and reading habits. In order to overcome these problems and promote China’s cultural influence in the world, a special fund has been set up to support translations of Chinese humanities and social science research, known as the ‘Chinese [Translation] Fund for the Humanities and Social Sciences’. Based on data derived from funded translation projects that ran from 2010 to 2015, this paper examines whether there have been discrepancies between the goals and outcomes of the fund, and investigates to what extent the translation of academic works may encounter ideological divergences between China and the West, and how this might affect the reception of translated Chinese works. Finally, the paper discusses any potential problems of exporting Chinese academic output globally as part of a political agenda.