BETWEEN HOMELAND AND HOSTLAND: DIASPORIC AGENCY IN UKRAINIAN POSTCOLONIAL TRANSLATION

This article explores the unique role of the Ukrainian diaspora in shaping postcolonial translation practices that mediate between the cultural frameworks of the homeland (Ukraine) and the hostland (primarily North America and Western Europe).The study draws upon postcolonial theory, translation studies, and diaspora studies to conceptualize the translator's position as a hybrid and liminal agent who operates within what Homi Bhabha terms the "third space" of enunciation.This space allows for the re-articulation of cultural identity through the act of translation, challenging both the imperial legacy imposed on Ukrainian language and literature and the hegemonic cultural norms of the hostland.Through analysis of selected literary and theoretical translations produced by members of the Ukrainian diaspora, the article argues that diasporic translators actively contribute to the decolonization of Ukrainian cultural discourse.They do so by resisting the Russocentric linguistic paradigm inherited from the Soviet period and by introducing alternative epistemologies that reflect a plurality of Ukrainian identities.The article further investigates how diasporic translators negotiate cultural authority and authenticity, often oscillating between positions of marginality and influence within both host and home cultures.These translators are not merely mediators of text but also creators of meaning, reconfiguring political and aesthetic boundaries through their work.The discussion highlights key case studies, including translations of canonical Ukrainian texts into English and vice versa, which illustrate how diasporic agency can enable the circulation of Ukrainian voices beyond national borders.Special attention is given to the tensions between fidelity to source texts and the necessity of cultural reinterpretation in diasporic contexts.Ultimately, the article suggests that diasporic translators function as postcolonial agents who destabilize essentialist narratives and open up translational spaces for hybridized cultural production.This research contributes to broader debates in translation and postcolonial studies, particularly in the context of small or stateless nations struggling with linguistic erasure and cultural marginalization.By foregrounding the agency of diasporic translators, the study calls for a more nuanced understanding of postcolonial translation as both a political and poetic act.