Since 2016 I have collaborated with the Centre for Australian and Transnational Studies at the University of Barcelona, as a Visiting Fellow, assisting with their conferences and more recently as an editor of their journal Coolabah.

In 2020 I am editing a special edition of Coolabah on Translating Poetry.

When translating poetry there is a tension between seeking the perfect translation and simultaneously knowing that this is not possible. It could be argued that there is no way to replicate exactly the complexity of poetry from one language to another – although it is possible to translate form, message or voice with an empathetic ear – but what happens in this liminal space where meanings meet? Poet-translators can find the act of translating opens up new spaces of experimentation and expression, stretching the rules of language in new ways as they try to find the path between languages. The space between languages can be a creative space, rather than one that is solely concerned with questions of what constitutes a correct translation.

This edition of Coolabah seeks to explore diverse approaches to translating poetry, as well as critical frameworks of thinking about the act of translation. The edition is particularly interested in non-traditional approaches to translation, considering diverse creative methodologies.

Submissions are open until 30 April 2020. Please do get in touch if you’re interested in submitting an article.