Lindsay Griffiths Brown | Photo by Adam Atkinson
What I study and why: I’m an interdisciplinary scholar of Black literature and translation theories and practices. My research questions are animated by what I believe to be the liberatory potential of translation and other interpretive methods for contending with the global phenomenon of anti-Blackness. Translation is both a solitary and a relational activity, it is incredibly political, and it is tied up in issues of representation, identity, and culture. Whole histories of racial conflict, for example, can be conjured up in the small choice of one word over another in the act of translation. And, as another example, in the triangular relationship between translator, author, and text, one can’t help but consider how questions of power and authority come into play. To me, then, it’s crucial that translation and race be theorized together. If translation is about sharing knowledge, interpreting ideas, and navigating unequal power dynamics (among many other things), how can we bring that to bear upon issues of racial justice and identity that have been so tied up in the very same issues? I explore all this as I study literatures of the Black diaspora in the U.S. and the Caribbean, giving special attention to Black authors and cultural producers who seem to latch on to translation as a generative framework and tool for understanding race.
This fall, I am teaching: ENG 146: Black Writers (Intro to Early African American Literature) and ENG 352: Topics in Black Literature (Slave Testimony Across the Americas)
What students can expect from me: I believe in the power of collaborative thinking, so students can expect that we will be building a sense of community as integral to the learning process. I also understand you’re busy and have a full life beyond the boundaries of my class. I’ll do my best to respect that and to honor your personhood over all else. Ultimately, it brings me joy to see you thrive.
Getting to know me: Besides my academic career, I’m also a published translator and an independent singer/songwriter. That said, I probably won’t be singing in class anytime soon!
Continue reading to meet more of Lafayette’s newest faculty members.