Love is (not) love? exploring Chinese university teachers' agency in translating rainbow works

This study employs Emirbayer and Mische's concept of 'agency' as a theoretical tool to examine the impact of the subjective agency exhibited by 11 Chinese university teacher translators on the translation of rainbow works.1 The analysis examines the iterational, projective, and practical-evaluative dimensions of their agency, uncovering the mechanisms associated with each. Findings show that external pressures in the iterational dimension led to negative agency, discouraging the translation of rainbow works. In contrast, the projective dimension fostered positive agency, with translators advocating for these works. The practical-evaluative dimension revealed twisted agency, leading to ambivalence in translation decisions. The study advocates for fostering positive agency through the projective dimension to enhance societal understanding of sexual minorities and promote inclusive translation practices.