Developing a critical theory of translation from the perspective of the Global South necessitates breaking free from the constraints of the ideological thinking and language inherited from liberation ideologies of the second half of the 20th century. Meanwhile, this endeavor requires maintaining a critical distance from the discourse of Occidentalists and Neo-Occidentalists, which influences thinking in various cultural contexts — from Latin America to Africa and the Arab world to East Asia. It is a discourse that represents an epistemic populism, advocating for an enchanted epistemological autonomy. A critical reassessment of the problem is necessary. To realize it, we have to recognize the sociological identity of thought and overcome the scholastic temptation. It is about recognizing the significance of social reality, its diversity and complexity, and prioritizing its questions and issues, especially those relating to interculturality and the methods for addressing them. The aim is not to translate or reproduce the "original". The shift towards a sociological turn in translation is a response to the two prevailing forms of translation in the Arab-Islamic context: Salafism and Westernization. This shift opposes the alienation of thought from society and its contemporary concerns.
