Bridging Geographical Concepts Between Contexts: Reflections on Language Translation and Knowledge

This article calls for critical attention to the role of language in knowledge production for the advancement of geographical scholarship in East Asia.This article reviews recent debates on the epistemology of geographical knowledge and reflects on some issues that arise from the practice of translation in this discipline.Geographical concepts are often translated and interpreted differently in different linguistic and socio-spatial contexts, and how these concepts can be translated between various contexts may be key to open up the possibilities of theorizing from East Asia.In response to these debates, this article suggests alternative ways of doing translation which underscore dialogues and mutual understanding.