The Power and Agency of the Mental Health Interpreter

Mental health interpreting; Public service interpreting; Dialogue interpreting; Power; Agency; Knowledge; Foucault; Subjective positions; Positioning Theory

Abstract :

[en] There has been a significant transformation over the past two decades in the perception and acceptance of some clinicians and researchers of how far interpreters contribute to communication in mental health settings. The figure of the mental health (MH) interpreter for these people has gradually evolved from being viewed as a mere machine to an interactive participantwhose cultural inputs are welcomed and whose involvement is deemed necessary for effective care . In the context of this evolution, the purpose of this chapter is to contribute to the exploration of the notions of power and agency as they apply to the MH interpreter.

Disciplines :

Languages & linguistics

Author, co-author :

Delizee, Anne ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté de Traduction et d'Interprétation - Ecole d'Interprètes Internationaux > Service d'étude de l'espace post-soviétique et des mondes slaves

Language :

English

Title :

The Power and Agency of the Mental Health Interpreter

Publication date :

01 December 2026

Main work title :

Mental health interpreting

Publishing director :

Raval, Hitesh

Tribe, Rachel

Thompson, Kate

Publisher :

Routledge, Londres, United Kingdom

Pages :

85-99

Peer reviewed :

Peer reviewed

Development Goals :

10. Reduced inequalities

Research unit :

T211 - Etude de l’espace post-soviétique et des mondes slaves

Research institute :

R250 - Institut de recherche pour le Développement sociétal et territorial
R350 - Institut de recherche en sciences et technologies du langage

Available on ORBi UMONS :

since 21 June 2025

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Scopus citations^®
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Bibliography

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