Seth Michelson

Seth Michelson is an associate professor of Spanish in the Romance Languages Department at Washington and Lee University, where he has been a faculty member since 2014. He also serves as director of the Center for Poetic Research and chair of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program.

Education:

• Bachelor's in Latin American Studies and Writing Seminars, Johns Hopkins University
• Master of Fine Arts in Writing (Poetry), Sarah Lawrence College
• Master’s and Doctorate in Comparative Literature, University of Southern California

Michelson’s research and creative work intersects poetry translation, social justice, and immigration studies. His trilingual (Mapuzungun, Spanish, English) translations of Mapuche poet Liliana Ancalao’s work represent a milestone in indigenous literature. He has translated diverse Latin American poets while mentoring W&L students in collaborative translation projects.

His publications span original poetry and anthologies featuring marginalized voices, including detained undocumented youth. Key themes include transnational identity, language politics, and cultural preservation. His forthcoming book Hope on the Border (2025) extends this focus through fieldwork in detention centers and refugee camps.

Awards:

• National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (2017) for trilingual Mapuche poetry translation

Michelson integrates creative writing with social advocacy, involving students in his work with incarcerated populations. His academic leadership includes founding W&L’s Center for Poetic Research, which facilitates community-based literary projects.