Exploring Translation as a Bridge Between Cultures, Literatures, and Ideas

Juan David Escobar developed a curiosity in language at an early age. While growing up in Colombia, he was drawn to books that opened windows into other cultures, from Jules Verne and Shakespeare to Tolkien, Borges, Cortázar, and García Márquez. That early love of literature eventually led him to study English at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, earn a master’s degree in Latin American Literatures, and pursue advanced research in translation. 

At Laney Graduate School, Juan found a home for that work in the interdisciplinary PhD in Hispanic Studies, particularly through the program’s focus on Translating Language and Culture. His research examines how translations circulated in Latin American literary journals during the Cold War, a period he describes as one of both tension and hope for the region. 

Juan’s work asks readers to see translation as more than a technical process. For him, translation is deeply tied to identity, power, and cultural exchange. 

“Translation is a fundamental operation of individual and collective identity,” he said. “Rather than neutral or transparent, translations are highly ideological.” 

At Emory, Juan has expanded his scholarship and teaching in meaningful ways. He taught alongside Lisa Dillman and Leonardo Velloso-Lyons, his advisor, and learned Portuguese, later teaching the language through the Dean’s Teaching Fellowship with guidance from Ana Teixeira, associate professor of Portuguese at Emory University and the Director of Emory’s Portuguese Program.  

His contributions to the Laney community extend beyond the classroom. Juan received the Dean’s Teaching Fellowship and the Martha and William Dobes Outstanding Graduate Teaching Fellow Award, and he was inducted into the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society.  

He also served as president of the Graduate Student Association of Spanish and Portuguese, where he helped coordinate the graduate conference Cultures from Below and supported programming focused on Afro-Latin American cultures, writing, inclusion, and community-building. 

Through GRASP, Juan also helped secure the Emory Libraries Student-Led Collection Development Award to support a multilingual collection focused on Mexican Indigenous poetry and literature. He also served as treasurer of the Graduate Student-Parent Association, helping organize family-friendly events and improve access to resources for graduate student families. 

After graduation, Juan hopes to continue teaching Latin American literature and translation in higher education while also building a career as a literary translator and author. As conversations about artificial intelligence continue to shape education and creative work, Juan remains committed to helping students value curiosity, creation, and the careful study of difference. 

“I want students to become curious about the world through literature and translation,” he said. “I want them to enjoy creation, to love learning, and to approach difference with care and openness.”