Translation and Interpreting for Human Rights

From refugee camps to legal clinics to community meetings, language work is a necessary, if occasionally overlooked, aspect of the human rights landscape. In this course, we will address the roles that translators and interpreters play in the nonprofit sector, as well as the specific challenges and rewards of working with languages in that realm--everything from navigating power relationships in difficult situations, building a trauma-informed language work practice, quickly training other interpreters in emergent situations, and advocating for oneself and others. Receive a basic introduction to language justice principles and an understanding of how these inform the ethical norms followed when working with clients who are advocating for basic rights and fighting against systems of oppression. The course will include theoretical foundations, case studies, best practices, and an exploration of careers available to translators and interpreters in the field and on the ground.