ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the interface between Ttranslation Hhistory and bBook Hhistory, two fields of research whose intellectual synergies are becoming increasingly apparent. It opens with a brief overview of the historical development of the two disciplines, exploring their differences and similarities and how they have grown closer over time to become now close neighbours. While their roots lay in relatively unrelated branches of the humanities, this distinction has been eroded over time by similar institutional trajectories that have seen both take turns driven by more institutionally influential fields such as Ssociology and Ccultural sStudies, bringing them closer together. Furthermore, both fields have now sufficiently consolidated their position to be able to investigate their own historiographical methodologies. The second section turns to a case study of how Bbook Hhistory has broadened its purview over time to move beyond its traditional Anglo-French roots, extending to other territories and language areas, to transnational topics, and, latterly, issues of translation proper. This section draws on the archive of papers presented at the Society for History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing (SHARP) conferences since 1993, looking at the topics of papers selected for the conference. It also studies how SHARP has explicitly sought to expand beyond the Anglo-French world by adopting language policies that have increased awareness of translation as an activity within the society. The chapter concludes by exploring potential avenues for cross-fertiliszation between the two fields, outlining concepts and methodologies from each that could fruitfully be used in the other.
