Interpreting ethics in crisis in the conflict zones : a focus on the Afghanistan War

Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperChapter

Abstract

This chapter proposes a new concept of non-normative ethics and critically analyses it through reflecting on the issues that the employment of unqualified civilian interpreters in the Afghan War (2001–2021) raises unethical concerns. These involve both the interpreter employers, i.e., the international forces and/or their recruitment agents, and the employees, i.e., civilian Afghan interpreters (CAIs). Building on the theory of capital forms (Bourdieu 1986) and selected sources (Tryuk 2015; Moser-Mercer 2015), the chapter critically analyses and reflects on interpreting ethics issues with these parties in the 20 years of conflicts in Afghanistan. Different types of ethics–normative ethics, descriptive ethics, and meta-ethics–are reviewed before non-normative ethics is defined. Non-normative ethics is normally considered abnormal in everyday and professional interpreting settings but is accepted and practised in the conflict zones. It questions whether the CAIs’ role was definite while they worked with the international forces, whether the CAIs were exploited in conflict zones, and whether sufficient protection was provided to the CAIs and their family members. These issues are discussed by drawing from selected reports and publications relevant for non-normative behaviour in conflict zones. Along with Dean and Pollard’s (2022) case analysis of lack of normative terms to communicate intermediate ethical concepts in the interpreting practice, this theoretical reflection on non-normative ethics as practised by CAIs in the Afghan War helps provide a foundation for further research into interpreting ethics civilian interpreters practice in the conflict zones.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Routledge Handbook of Translation, Interpreting and Crisis
EditorsChristophe Declercq, Koen Kerremans
Place of PublicationU.K.
PublisherRoutledge
Pages187-199
Number of pages13
ISBN (Electronic)9781003207580
ISBN (Print)9781032075426
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

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