ABSTRACT
This study examines the graphic novel Van Istanbul naar Baghdad (2010; From Istanbul to Baghdad) written by Arnon Grunberg and illustrated by Hanco Kolk, and its Turkish translation, İstanbul'dan Bağdat'a (2015) published by Alef Yayınevi, a small-scale Istanbul-based publisher. The case study delves into the motivations and decisions behind publishing this graphic novel, which engages with sensitive cultural and historical themes such as the Halabja massacre. In particular, it explores the role of the publisher's personal tastes and symbolic capital, drawing on interviews with key stakeholders. The chapter employs a sociology of translation framework to analyse how various agents in the transnational literary field interact to shape the circulation of translated works. Ranging from power dynamics to publisher decisions, the study highlights how Alef's unconventional publishing strategy diverges from common practices in Dutch–Turkish literary translation and publishing. It demonstrates the influence of symbolic motivations over financial considerations in Alef's choices regarding the selection and publication of translated literature, revealing complex and often personal dynamics. The analysis offers insights into the unique mechanisms of transnational literary circulation, enhancing understandings of periphery-to-periphery literary transfer.
