Interpreting for Refugees: Empathy and Activism

We are witnessing increasing numbers of refugee crises around the globe and the need for trained interpreters who would work alongside humanitarian personnel is significant. This chapter looks at the special position interpreters have in emergency situations arising from violent conflicts, especially in working with refugees directly at the border or in refugee camps. I will argue that, in these particular situations, interpreters are not just enablers of communication by transferring content from one language into another but are active partners, alongside the humanitarian personnel, in the process of advocacy for people who are in a vulnerable position, such as refugees are for longer or shorter periods of time. This chapter grounds its findings in ethnographic approach to data collection and the analysis of interviews with three interpreters and an introspective report of the author/interpreter who have all been directly involved in interpreting during the last twenty years...