Caged narratives in translation and the liberating power of relational networked agency

Τhis paper examines the figures of the translator and the writer not only as meaning makers but as relational entities forming part of an assemblage which consists, among others, of narratives, writer, translator(s), various means of communication and dissemination. Focusing, as a case study, on Behrouz Boochani’s No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison (2018) and informed by Actor-Network Theory (ANT), the present paper explores the connections and interrelationships among actors working within Boochani’s practice-oriented network to guarantee the production, promotion, and reception of his work. Taking a relational actor- and process-oriented approach, it attempts to shed light on the modes of exchange employed and the relational interconnectedness and interdependence that have contributed to the compelling genesis of a narrative – one which transcends the traditional and conventional forms and practices of authorship and translation thanks to the onset of collective political activism built on a conglomeration of human and non-human actors. This paper ultimately points to the significance of translational networks of relations and interactions in reinforcing engaging synergies in multi-vocal contexts and to the power of translation, itself dynamic, relational and fluid, to transform our understanding of the world.