Published in August 2021, this report combines statistics, commentary and professional testimony to assess how Serbian literature circulated in translation between 2015 and 2020. It considers translated authors and languages alongside the institutional and publishing conditions that determine which works reach foreign readers.
Special attention is given to translators, who often identify books, persuade publishers, interpret cultural contexts and promote the finished editions. Awards such as the European Union Prize for Literature, regional networks, book fairs and personal professional relationships can increase visibility, but their effects remain inconsistent.
The report finds that Serbia lacks a sufficiently coordinated and internationally oriented strategy for literary translation. Government support exists, but limited resources, traditional promotional practices and weak connections between institutions, translators, publishers and literary agents restrict its impact.
It recommends creating an independent and transparent national agency for translation and book promotion; strengthening translator networks, residencies and mobility; supporting younger translators; developing professional literary agents; and building partnerships with publishers and cultural organizations in target markets.
Author and contributors: Dejan Aleksić; contributors Alen Bešić, Ana Gvozdenović, Ivana Hrenko and Milena Radić; editor Ana Marija Grbić.
Original Serbian title: Глас, Ехо. Српска литература у преводу (2015–2020): Статистике, коментари, препоруке
