The Sociological Approach in Translation Studies

This chapter examines the sociological approach in translation studies, which analyzes translation as a socially embedded practice shaped by institutions, power relations, and cultural norms. It outlines the “sociological turn” in the discipline, tracing its development since the late 20th century and its relationship to earlier cultural and descriptive turns. Key theoretical frameworks are discussed, including Bourdieu’s concepts of field, habitus, and capital; Luhmann’s social systems theory; and Latour’s actor-network theory. The chapter also introduces common methodological strategies, such as qualitative interviews, field analysis, and quantitative corpus studies, and reviews empirical applications across literary, media, and community interpreting contexts. Finally, it addresses ongoing challenges—including theoretical fragmentation and the risk of neglecting linguistic aspects—and calls for a more integrated and critically engaged sociological perspective in translation research.