Working and Researching Multilingually at State Borders

Case Study 3: Working and Researching Multilingually at State (and European Union) Borders

Co-Researchers• Dr Robert Gibb• Dr Julien Danero Iglesias

Principal Objectives

1. To compare multilingual working practices andprocesses of translation and interpretation at state(and external EU) borders and in refugee statusdetermination procedures in Bulgaria and Romania.

2. To analyse the wider structural contexts in bothcountries with regard in particular to the recruitment,payment and training of interpreters to work inasylum cases and at state (and external EU)borders.

Bulgaria and Romania

Bulgaria and its borders

Romania and its borders

Field Research (January-December 2015)Bulgaria (RG) and Romania (JDI)

• Observation of the activities of selected state agencies,NGOs, legal representatives and interpreters

• Semi-Structured Interviews with key staff about theirmultilingual working practices and training, and theprocesses of interpretation and translation in which theyare involved

• Analysis of Documentary Data including case law,codes of practice for border guards, asylum case-workersand interpreters, and other relevant documents

‘Green’ Border between Bulgaria and Turkey

European Asylum Support Office‘Operational Map of Bulgaria’

‘Stop! State Border’ (Cahul, Moldova – 5km from border with Romania)

Photo: Julien Danero Iglesias

Detention sites in Romania

Sources of images• http://www.worldofmaps.net/en/europe/europe-maps/map-europe.htm• http://www.worldofmaps.net/en/europe/map-bulgaria/map-regions-

bulgaria.htm• http://www.worldofmaps.net/en/europe/map-romania/map-regions-

romania.htm• http://www.novinite.com/media/images/2013-

11/photo_verybig_155426.jpg• http://www.asylumineurope.org/files/resources/easo-report-stock-

taking-mission-to-bulgaria-final-.pdf• http://www.globaldetentionproject.org/countries/europe/romania/map-

of-detention-sites.html