Calls for papers

REGULAR ISSUE

For the open issues, JAT follows the continuous publication (CP) model. The CP model allows for the immediate publication of an article as soon as it is ready; that is, peer-reviewed, approved by the Editorial Board, copyedited, typeset, and proofread. This way accepted articles do not need to wait until a particular issue of the journal is completed. The open issue will have a publishing deadline on the last day of December. However, the online issue will be fed throughout the year and when the deadline of the open issue passes, it is closed and the next issue starts to be fed. JAT collects submissions for the open issues throughout the year (there is no submission deadline).

As the only dedicated academic journal on the field of audiovisual translation, The Journal of Audiovisual Translation (JAT) encourages the submission of original research papers and practice reports in the field of audiovisual translation (AVT) and media accessibility in areas including subtitling (or captioning), audio description (AD), dubbing and voice-over. We welcome contributions on traditional media such as television and film, new media, live events, opera, theatre, museums and other contexts. Submissions can be sent at any time - there is no specific deadline.

We welcome both theoretical and empirical contributions that meet a high standard of scholarship and contribute new knowledge on the discipline. We also encourage interdisciplinary studies within the broader discipline of Translation Studies, but also with psychology, cognitive science, media studies, communication studies, sociology, linguistics, inclusive design, accessibility studies and other areas.  

THEMATIC SECTION 2026

Empowering Multilingualism through Audiovisual Translation in South African Higher Education: Challenges and Innovations

Deadline for full papers: 30 June 2025

Publication date: November 2026

Guest Editor

Helena Kruger-Roux, University of Pretoria

Background

The Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions (2020) in South Africa has renewed focus on promoting multilingualism and developing indigenous languages in academia (Department of Higher Education and Training, 2020). This special issue explores how educational audiovisual translation (AVT) can be leveraged to meet the policy's requirements for linguistic inclusivity and access. AVT techniques like subtitling and dubbing offer innovative ways to make educational content available in multiple languages, potentially transforming teaching, learning, and knowledge dissemination practices.

South African higher education institutions face complex challenges in balancing the practical dominance of English with the need to preserve and promote indigenous African languages (Mkhize & Balfour, 2017). This tension reflects broader societal struggles to reconcile multilingual heritage with globalisation pressures (Ndhlovu & Makalela, 2021). AVT technologies present promising avenues for creating more inclusive, multilingual learning environments, but their implementation must be carefully considered to ensure they provide genuine support rather than confusion (Kruger-Marais & Kruger-Roux, 2023).

This thematic section aims to examine current AVT initiatives at South African universities, evaluate their effectiveness in promoting multilingualism, and explore future possibilities for expanding AVT use. By bringing together insights from language policy experts, AVT practitioners, and researchers in related fields, this issue aims to provide valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers working towards a more linguistically inclusive higher education landscape in South Africa (Bhatt et al., 2022).

Research topics

Research topics include but are not limited to:

  1. Case studies of AVT implementation in South African higher education institutions
  2. Student and faculty perspectives on multilingual AVT in educational contexts
  3. Technological challenges and solutions for implementing AVT in higher education
  4. Impact of AVT on academic performance, inclusivity, and epistemic access
  5. Strategies for developing AVT capacity in indigenous languages
  6. Eye-tracking studies in subtitle reading, particularly focusing on indigenous languages
  7. Comparative analysis of subtitling and dubbing effectiveness in educational contexts
  8. The role of AVT in promoting translanguaging and multilingual pedagogies
  9. Development and evaluation of multilingual terminology for AVT in higher education
  10. AVT as a tool for decolonising the curriculum and promoting epistemic justice
  11. Accessibility and universal design considerations in educational AVT
  12. The impact of AVT on student engagement and self-directed learning
  13. The role of AVT in supporting academic literacy development
  14. Policy implications of AVT implementation in South African higher education

Important dates:

Notification of provisional acceptance (abstracts): 15 February 2025

Submission of full papers: 30 June 2025

Desk review: 15 July 2025

Sending out for peer review: 1 September 2025

First editorial decisions: 1 November 2025

Resubmission by authors: 31 January 2026

Submission of final versions: 31 March 2026

Language revision, APA, layout: April-October 2026

Issue published: October / November 2026.

 

Submission guidelines

Please submit abstracts by email to helena.kruger-roux@up.ac.za by 15 January 2025.

Full papers should be submitted by 30 June 2025 via the online submission system at www.jatjournal.org following the journal’s guidelines that can be consulted here: https://www.jatjournal.org/index.php/jat/about/submissions/a

Contact

Please contact the guest editor if you have any questions: 

Helena Kruger-Roux: helena.krugerroux@up.ac.za 

Guest editor

Dr Helena Kruger-Roux is a Senior Language Practitioner at the University of Pretoria, where she works in the Unit for Academic Literacy. She completed her PhD in 2005, focusing on training subtitlers in South Africa and emphasizing the use of subtitling to promote multilingualism and access. Dr Kruger-Roux is currently the principal researcher on a multilingual educational subtitling/dubbing project, a collaboration between the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR), the University of Pretoria, and Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

Her recent research focuses on audiovisual translation in higher education, multilingualism, and language policy. She serves as the country representative for the Lingua Nostra COST research consortium, which aims to promote scholarly publishing in languages other than English. Dr Kruger-Roux's recent publications address key issues in multilingualism and language policy in higher education, including student perspectives on multilingual subtitled and dubbed academic videos, and the optimization of isiXhosa academic subtitles.

References

Bhatt, H., Dube, L., Lekganyane, M., Legoabe, F., Luescher, T., Mabizela, S., Mahlori, X., Masehela, L., Mokwele, R. & Rakubu, M., 2022. Language policy implementation in South African public higher education institutions: Continuities and discontinuities. Journal of Higher Education in Africa, 20(2), pp. 423-444.

Department of Higher Education and Training, 2020. Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions. Government Gazette, 43860, pp. 1-48.

Kruger-Marais, E. & Kruger-Roux, H., 2023. Academic, keyword, and plain English subtitles for natural sciences students: Intralingual views. Transformation in Higher Education, 8(0), pp. 1-8.

Mkhize, D. & Balfour, R., 2017. Language rights in education in South Africa. South African Journal of Higher Education, 31(6), pp. 133-150.

Ndhlovu, F. & Makalela, L., 2021. Decolonising multilingualism in Africa: Recentering silenced voices from the Global South. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.