Captive Literature in Translation: Hasan Salama's Memoir as a Case Study

Abstract

Captive literature, or prison literature, is a form of literary work produced by individuals incarcerated and held under different imprisonment conditions(Margay & Farooq,2020). Palestinian captive literature exemplifies this genre, with numerous impactful works emerging from prisons, authored by writers with or without formal literary backgrounds. These works resist the occupation that permeates Palestinian life. Hasan Salama’s memoir, Five Thousand Days in the World of Barzakh, is a poignant example of this literature. Detained in 1996 by the Israeli Occupation Forces and sentenced to 1,175 years, Salama endured 14 years in solitary confinement and isolation during his continued imprisonment. Encouraged by his fiancée, Ghufran Al-Zamel, to document his experiences, the memoir Salama produced highlights the extreme isolation and struggles faced by Palestinian captives. This research investigates key questions: What challenges do Palestinian captives face in producing literature under Israeli prison conditions? What translation challenges arise in bringing their works to a broader audience? How can translators address these challenges using translation theory and creative solutions? The study will analyze these issues through existing literature, an interview with Ghufran Al-Zamel, a key figure in the publishing process, and a commentary highlighting the strategies and methods employed in the translation process. Employing the equivalent strategies of Mona Baker (1992), it will explore the translator’s role and the question of visibility in handling sensitive texts. This ties into a central debate in translation studies raised by Lawrence Venuti (1995) about whether translators should remain invisible in sensitive contexts. By shedding light on an understudied category of literature, this research contributes to Palestinian literature in English and translation studies. A translation project accompanying the study highlights the role of volunteer translators in advocating for important causes, providing both academic and practical contributions to the field.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	HBKU College of Humanities and Social Science