معرفی
Jennifer Croft is an Associate Professor and Presidential Professor of English & Creative Writing in the Kendall College of Arts & Sciences at The University of Tulsa. An acclaimed author, critic, and translator of Polish, Ukrainian, and Argentine Spanish literature, she has established herself as a significant voice in contemporary literary translation and creative writing.
Her research spans multiple interconnected areas including literary translation theory and practice, experimental fiction, hybrid genres, prose poetry, and the cultural connections between Poland/Central Europe and Argentina/Latin America. Croft's work consistently explores the boundaries between translation and creation, examining how translation functions as both a regenerative cultural force and a process that inevitably involves elements of erasure. Her fascination with postcards as a medium for communication across distances reflects her broader interest in how meaning travels between languages and cultures.
Croft's publication record shows a consistent output of both creative and translated works spanning over a decade. Her most recent novel, The Extinction of Irena Rey (2024), has been recognized as one of The Wall Street Journal's 10 Best Books of 2024 and has already been translated into nine languages. This work continues her exploration of translation as a creative act, using the framework of eight translators searching for a missing author in Poland's Białowieża Forest.
Notable awards include:
- International Man Booker Prize (2018) for translating Olga Tokarczuk's Flights
- William Saroyan International Prize for Writing (2020) for her memoir Homesick
- Guggenheim Fellowship (2022) for The Extinction of Irena Rey
- American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature (2023)
As a mentor and educator, Croft brings her extensive professional experience to the classroom, having navigated both the academic world and the competitive landscape of literary translation and publication. Her advocacy for translator visibility has influenced publishing practices industry-wide, and she continues to champion greater integration of international literature into mainstream American reading culture. While she doesn't lead a formal research lab, her creative practice and translation work function as a collaborative enterprise with authors, publishers, and fellow translators across multiple countries.
