Activist subtitling of counter-ISIS narratives as liminoid for knowledge production. “The bigh daddy show” and “Daya al-Taseh”. Examples

This paper examines activist translation practices in light of the two sociological concepts of liminality and knowledge production. With particular focus on online contemporary activist communities that counter extremism, translation/subtitling is studied as an essential part of the cultural ‘liminoid’ practices that produce and disseminates alternative knowledge challenging the status quo. Launched as reactions to the repercussions of the Arab Spring and the establishment of ISIS, "The Bigh daddy Show" and "Daya al-Taseh" are two digital activist initiatives that produce and spread counter jihadist narratives in Arabic subtitled in English. The study attempts to explore reflections of liminality in the subtitling of both initiatives, as well as the kind of knowledge produced and developed in the subtitles. The two initiatives are scrutinized and compared in terms of aims, mission, actors, translation and reception using the theoretical frameworks of activist translation communities, narrative theory in translation studies as well as interviews. The study starts with the analysis of initiatives’ ‘About’ narratives, revealing the similarities and differences between them regarding their self-definition and positioning as ‘liminals’. Then, it moves to discover how such self-definition is reflected in their choices of subtitling modes and strategies that shape the narratives produced in English. At the end, user interaction with both initiatives is highlighted as a crucial element in the development and dissemination of the alternative knowledge voiced in the English narratives. Users on social media platforms are found to have contributed to the development of the subtitling process and the establishment of networks of solidarity worldwide.