Translation, soft power and Cold War book diplomacy: Franklin book programs’ legacy in words, images and memory

The study of Cold War book programs and book diplomacy as forms of cultural diplomacy offers fertile ground for examining translation's role during the Cold War. This article focuses on the Franklin Book Programs (1952–1978), a state-sponsored initiative that employed soft power to promote American ideals and values globally through translated books, while also supporting the growth of indigenous publishing in developing countries. As a global Cold War initiative, Franklin illuminates how soft power was conceptualized, operationalized, and implemented in cultural diplomacy through translation. This article examines Franklin's operations in its key field offices in Egypt and Iran, examining its enduring yet endangered legacy. Despite challenges in assessing the effects of translation-focused cultural diplomacy, this article draws on interviews with former Franklin staff, fieldwork, archival sources, observations, and other materials to investigate the reasons behind Franklin's lasting yet precarious legacy. By juxtaposing Franklin's well-preserved legacy in Tehran with its fragmented yet resilient legacy in Cairo, the analysis reveals the complex and often contradictory dynamics of soft power and translation as they unfolded within the Cold War's contest battle for cultural dominance.