Haken conference interpreters in Japan: Exploring status through the sociology of work and of professions

Abstract

This article investigates the professional status of conference interpreters in Japan, by focusing on interpreters employed as haken, that is, dispatched temporary workers. Combining the perspectives of interpreting studies and the sociology of work, it addresses both internal and external factors upholding interpreters’ status: expertise, autonomy, and authority, on one hand, and social and market dynamics, on the other hand. It provides a thick empirical analysis of status-related factors by drawing on fieldwork data in Japan, including 46 interviews with interpreters and 7 interviews with agency managers. The findings show that internal and external factors intertwine in limiting or upholding interpreters’ status recognition. Despite their expertise and qualifications, conference interpreters in Japan have limited control over their work, because of clients’ expectations of subordination. Furthermore, the monopoly of agencies in the Japanese market constrains their professional visibility. Last but not least, interpreters’ employment as temporary workers and the disproportionate feminisation of the category contribute to societal perceptions of interpreting as an insecure and unrewarding occupation. The findings bear practical implications for the advocacy of interpreters’ status and its betterment in Japan.

Evolution of interpreting as a social practice in China during the past four decades. An analysis of Chinese discourse on interpreting through the lens of social practice theory

“…In summary, previous studies on interpreting as a social activity have paid most attention to the roles and identities of the interpreters, while research is still scarce about how the interpreting activity constitutes a social practice and how the social practice of interpreting is shaped by the broader socio-cultural context. Moreover, although a few scholars (e.g., Inghilleri, 2003; Wolf & Fukari, 2007; Giustini, 2019, 2021) have pointed out the potential of applying sociological theories to researching interpreting as a socially situated activity, so far, the most productive efforts have been the application of Bourdieusian sociological concepts to interpreting studies, including habitus, capital, and field (Bourdieu, 1977).…”