As part of CAPONEU, In Other Words will deliver four events during the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe that focus on ‘translation politics’.

Literary translators are a fundamental part of global literature; they use their linguistic abilities, literary sensibility and creativity to re-write literary works into a different language and culture, making writing accessible across linguistic borders. Yet, the role and person of the translator are often sidelined in discussions of literature. 

Our series of events will place the translator centre stage. These translator-focused events will consist of two translation slams and two performed readings of translated works, read aloud in both the original language and in translation. The format of these events will be performance-based and participatory, where audiences can hear directly from the translators and also engage with the working processes of the translators. These four events sit at the intersection of performance art, which is at the core of the Fringe, and Edinburgh’s lively literary scene.

Through this run of events, we will highlight the ways in which novels from around the world become accessible for English-speaking audiences and celebrate the work of translators in this process. We aim to critically assess the power dynamics inherent in literary translation; the relationships between languages, authors, translators, and the politics of publishing. Simultaneously, the four events will also delve into questions around gender, race, class, and Europe’s colonial past and present.

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