Emplotting the self

Abstract

This article explores the conceptual intersections between translation and migration, proposing a framework that redefines migration as a multi-staged process of (social) self-translation. Drawing on philosophical hermeneutics — specifically the works of Paul Ricœur and Hans-Georg Gadamer — the article examines how migrants navigate the tensions between sameness ( idem ) and selfhood ( ipse ) through the construction of narrative identity. It further investigates how digital platforms serve as transnational social spaces where these narratives are emplotted, shared, and contested. By analyzing the dual nature of migrant self-translation — as both an internal process of meaning-making and a public act of cultural representation — the article argues that these practices facilitate “social translation,” a transformative engagement with the host society that challenges reifying labels and reconfigures intergroup relations. Ultimately, this article demonstrates that self-translation is a durational, agentive mechanism through which migrants reclaim authorship over their identities and participate in the co-constitution of the public sphere.