Published by Next Page Foundation on 7 July 2022 as part of the Balkan Translations Collider project, this report maps literary translations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. It synthesises six national studies examining how works written in Western Balkan languages reached readers elsewhere in Europe between 2015 and 2020.
The country profiles reveal uneven translation flows shaped by market size, historical connections, geographical proximity and diaspora communities. International publishers generally favour contemporary novels and poetry, alongside established twentieth-century authors such as Ivo Andrić, Danilo Kiš and Ismail Kadare. Independent publishers play a particularly important role because larger companies are often reluctant to invest in emerging authors from less widely translated languages.
Translators emerge as the “silent heroes” of international literary circulation. Beyond translating texts, they frequently act as selectors, agents, advisers and promoters for authors whose cultural and linguistic contexts are unfamiliar to foreign publishers. Their work is hindered by limited budgets, inadequate remuneration and fragmented institutional support. None of the six countries has a fully sustainable, publicly funded organisation dedicated to promoting its literature internationally.
The report recommends continuous and adequately financed promotion based on the interests of publishers and readers in target markets rather than a top-down national canon. Priorities include accessible translation grants, support for translators and literary agents, residencies and professional development, stronger participation in international fairs, better data collection and greater cooperation among public bodies, publishers and cultural organisations across the Balkans.
Authors: Aida Čengić and the Next Page Foundation team; with country reports prepared by expert teams from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia
Original title: Mapping Translated Literatures from the Western Balkans (2015–2020)
