Lost in Translation: A Creative Journey

Catalog description

How do stories travel? What gets carried across languages, and what gets lost? In this course, students dive into the world of storytelling, travel and translation. They explore London, creating their own poems, stories, and essays (all genres accepted) inspired by what they discover. Each week, students read a local English-language writer's work alongside a translated work from the featured writer's other language or culture, sparking conversations about identity, memory, and how place shapes storytelling. English-language writers deepen the exploration of "translation" as a conceptual and metaphorical process. Biweekly, students take a storytelling walk through a vibrant London neighborhood with a featured writer, seeing how language and story come alive in real-world settings. Throughout the course, students experiment with translation in broad and creative ways: not just between languages, but between image and text, sound and meaning, self and world. They also consider how AI is changing the way we communicate and understand language. Students will also collaborate on exciting word-installation projects, mixing art, language, and technology in ways you've never thought of before. No prior knowledge of another language besides English is required - just bring your curiosity and creativity. (Featured writers change each time the course is taught.) This course is offered in London for the Spring 2026 semester and not in Abu Dhabi.