This seminar examines some crucial yet underexplored intersections between burgeoning scholarship in Postcolonial Studies, Applied Linguistics, Rhetoric and Composition, and Translation Studies on language contact and the politics and problematics of translation across language and cultural difference.

Building on various theories and approaches to language and translation introduced in course readings, the primary goal of this seminar is to address current theoretical and practical issues pertaining to both literary and nonliterary translation and introduce basic concepts, techniques, and strategies in translation. Our conversations will be also focused on exploring the potential role and place of translation practice in our current and future teaching of literature, writing, or language.

To be able to successfully participate in this seminar, you are required to have some kind of working knowledge (not necessarily advanced or perfect competence) of one or more written languages other than English.

Among the texts we'll be discussing in this class are the following:

Bassnett, Susan, and Harish Trivedi, eds. Postcolonial Translation: Theory and Practice. London and New York: Routledge, 1999. Print.

Bermann, Sandra, and Catherine Porter. 2014. A Companion to Translation Studies. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell. Print. 

Cronin, Michael. 2012. Translation and Globalization. London: Routledge. Print. 

Pennycook, Alastair. "English As a Language Always in Translation." European Journal of English Studies. 12.1 (2008): 33-47. Print.

Venuti, Lawrence. "Translation and the Pedagogy of Literature." College English. 58.3 (1996): 327-344. Print.