The book explores the concept of resistance in translation, examining how writing and translation can challenge colonial French hierarchies of race and language and had to resist the dominant Western logocentric thought.
Teraanga and Translation contributes to the field of Translation Studies by introducing in the discipline a new concept called "ethics of teraanga." Rooted in long-standing Senegalese cultural values, Teraanga is a Wolof word meaning hospitality and solidarity and is central to understanding Socé’s subversive strategies. It emphasizes respect, community, fostering syncretism through cohabitation rather than assimilation.
"Abdourahim Kébé brings a fresh perspective to translation studies and to African literary studies with the concept of teraanga—a Senegalese value connected to hospitality—applied as a critical lens for interpreting Ousmane Socé's orality-inspired, multilingual writing. In this way, Kébé successfully navigates the paradoxes of the novel Karim and sheds light on how Socé resists colonialist ideologies and grapples with the modern challenges Senegal faces while also celebrating the country's rich history and traditions and the cultural diversity of its urban centers" (Profesor Jeanette Patterson, Binghamton University).