ABSTRACT
This conclusion brings together the findings of Translating Novels from Putin's Russia, exploring how personal and institutional political biases shape the translation of contemporary Russian fiction into English. It traces this influence across key sites – editorial decision-making, funding structures, paratextual framing, and the translation process – revealing how each reflects the political positioning of authors and their novels. Extending the discussion to the global literary marketplace, the chapter considers the structural constraints that affect all language pairs and reaffirms the relevance of Pierre Bourdieu's concept of a ‘conservative revolution’ for analysing contemporary publishing. While social media has altered the circulation of literary capital and amplified the role of independent publishers, many of the hierarchies Bourdieu identified persist. The chapter closes by addressing questions of translation ethics, arguing that clarity and fidelity to an author's work remain essential – provided publishers adopt transparent and principled practices. Finally, it calls for a decolonised approach to Russian-English literary translation and for a more self-reflexive, politically engaged stance towards the global circulation of Russophone literature.
