Franklin Book Programs in Iran (ca 1953–1978) and the politics of translation during the Cold War

Abstract

ABSTRACT During the Cold War, books in translation were considered an important means of strengthening ideological and cultural influence in many regions of the world. Among a variety of different publishing activities undertaken, Franklin Book Programs, a US-initiated translation and publishing venture, was designed with the specific purpose of translating American books and disseminating them in emerging and non-aligned nations. This article aims to analyse Franklin Book Programs’ translation and publishing work in Iran, one of its most successful operations. It draws on archives, interviews and the correspondence of some of the prominent agents involved in Franklin Book Programs. This story illuminates a significant chapter in Iranian translation and publishing history, as well as revealing an important, and often overlooked, dimension of the USA’s global cultural Cold War.