Website of Michael En
Welcome :)
Hello, I’m Michael En, BA MA
I’m a queer-feminist translator/academic/activist not fond of such labels, engaging in various activities doing too many things at the same time. Currently, I’m mostly involved with work and completing my PhD at the University of Vienna.
I live, among other places, in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese. At the moment, I spend most of my being and doing in Vienna, Austria.
I prefer cats to dogs, tea to coffee, and hoodies to sweatshirts. I enjoy doing cryptic crossword puzzles, singing not only in the shower, and listening to radio plays. I miss Vine but sometimes binge on TikTok.
Between ideals of beauty and boxes of chocolate, I try to do what I can to make the world a better place. Maybe relatedly, I sigh a lot. This website is meant as a glimpse into (some happenings in) my life.
Academia & research
My academic work focuses on and has been shaped by:
- transcultural communication
- global & local language power relations
- translation
- lingualism
- critical sociolinguistics
- discourse analysis
- native-speakerism
- stereotype threat
- gender & sexuality
- queer theory
And, maybe most importantly: etc.
Academic profiles
You can follow my research on:
Upcoming publications
There are a few publications I’m currently working on that I’m not allowed to mention here yet, but I’m happy to announce that the following is scheduled to come out soon(ish):
- En, Boka & En, Michael (forthcoming 2021). (Un)doing relationships: Boundary-Drawing and Queer(ing) Ways of Relating. In Rees, Emma (ed.), The Routledge Companion to Gender, Sexuality and Culture. Routledge.
Recent publications
I try to make my texts as accessible as possible. If you cannot access a text that you are interested in, please let me know.
- En, Michael (ed.) (2020). Truths, trust and translation. A festschrift, love letter and thank you to Michèle Cooke. Peter Lang. doi: 10.3726/b17300
- Text, teas and thank yous: An Einleitung. 7–9.
- Of bullet points and cows: Illuminating truths and truisms. 17–33.
- En, Boka & En, Michael (2020). Beziehung(s)formen im queeren Alltag. In Michel Raab & Cornelia Schadler (Eds.), Polyfantastisch? Nichtmonogamie als emanzipatorische Praxis. Unrast, 45–64.
- En, Michael & En, Boka (2019). “Coming out”… as a translator? Expertise, identities and knowledge practices in an LGBTIQ* migrant community translation project. Translation Studies, 1–18. doi: 10.1080/14781700.2019.1696222
- En, Boka; En, Michael; Griffiths, David & Pöll, Mercedes (2017) Non-monogamies and queer kinship: personal-political reflections. Queer STS Forum, 2(1), 15–27. ‹ PDF ›
- En, Boka; En, Michael & Pöll, Mercedes (2017). A world without gender? The struggle of Austria’s far right over what it means to be human: An analysis of Barbara Rosenkranz’ book MenschInnen. In Michaela Köttig, Renate Bitzan, & Andrea Pető (Eds.), Gender and far right politics in Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, 235–252. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-43533-6_16
Upcoming conference contributions
- International Conference on Non-Professional Interpreting and Translation (NPIT5) 3–5 June, Amsterdam (online) Unfortunately, I had to cancel.
- 3rd New Trends in Foreign Language Teaching International Conference 19–21 May 2021, Granada (online) Unfortunately, I had to cancel due to COVID-19-related changes.
Previous conference contributions (selection)
- Annual Conference of the Austrian Society for Gender Studies 27–29 September 2018, Vienna
- Translating Feminism: Multi-disciplinary Perspectives on Text, Place and Agency 13–15 June 2018, Glasgow
- International Conference on Translation and Censorship in Literature and the Media 28–29 September 2017, València
- Languaging Diversity: Language(s) and Power 3–5 March 2016, Macerata
- Queer Translation 26–28 March 2015, Vienna
If you saw me at one of these or at any others I didn’t list here, be it at my presentations or in the queue for the buffet, let me know!
Current teaching
Summer 2021:
- UE English as a lingua franca: Communication skills for multilingual and multicultural settings Centre for Translation Studies, University of Vienna Developing awareness of current global(ised) English(es) and the linguistic, socio-political realities they entail. Finding your own voice in English in personal and professional communication. Learning to act responsibly in international and/or translingual communication settings.
Most recent teaching
- UE English as a lingua franca: Communication skills for multilingual and multicultural settings Centre for Translation Studies, University of Vienna (from winter 2020)
- SE Translating Knowledge: Creative English for academic communication seminar for PhD students at the University of Vienna (summer 2018 & winter 2019)
Translation & communication
Go to the Qwir website.In 2017, I co-founded Qwir text + design, a text, translation and design agency for people in academia, activist organisations and other areas of life. Based in Vienna, we offer:
- translation (to and from en and de)
- editing & proofreading
- layout & formatting
- web & graphic design
- workshops & training
- and more
In all our work, we try to encourage what’s good in the world. For Qwir, that means taking a perspective of social awareness, a focus on accessibility, and an overall approach that, in text and design, treats people and the world we live in with kindness.
Writing
Some texts by me, friends and others that I’m happy to feature here. Will update as life allows it.
Breakfast Cereal: Living the muesli life by Jerry Rosenfarb
The Corona Lesson a translation of Thomas Gsella’s poem ‘Die Corona-Lehre’
Links & recommendations
The following are some (very incomplete lists of) things that I invite you to check out:
Projects in which I was involved (selection)
These are some of the results of my working with/for really cool organisations and people that I’d like to show off here:
-
‘Transkulturelle Kommunikation: Verstehen – Vertiefen – Weiterdenken’ textbook
I supported Sabine Dengscherz and Michèle Cooke in writing this extended introduction to some of the key concepts of transcultural communication, based on ‘Transkulturelle Kommunikation: Zur Einführung und Vorbereitung auf das Studium’ for first-year students at the University of Vienna’s Centre for Translation Studies.
-
Staying in life: Paving the way to dementia-friendly communities book
Aktion Demenz Germany published this report and analysis of their work with people living with dementia and their families and friends that offers a new perspective on dementia in contemporary society. I was part of the team that translated the German book into this English version.
Other cool stuff & people
I like these. Maybe you’ll enjoy them, too?
The Faggots and their Friends between Revolutions a book by Larry Mitchell about fairies and freedom
ContraPoints YouTube channel on gender, (online) leftism and ‘the darkness’ by Natalie Wynn
Tara Brach and Alan Watts both great to listen to
Patchwork a board game for 2 people or teams that is both easy to set up and satisfying to play
Anomalies a story from my favourite webcomic, ‘Subnormality’
Cavetown musician, artist, kind person
Dreamy a lo-fi playlist (on Spotify), perfect for both work and chill
Video gaming
It’s dangerous to go alone.
Switch
For Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, add me as your Switch friend: SW-2092-1541-6927
In May 2020, I participated in the 2nd installment of the ‘FG Games’, an Animal Crossing event organised by FreddeGredde. I won both rounds of the costume contest!
Pokémon GO
I’m mostly playing for my perfect IV collection; currently also looking for shiny Spinda with any pattern as well as various forms of Unown. Add me as your friend? 6359 3247 8610
If you send a friend request to the codes above, I’d appreciate it if you could to let me know, so I won’t overlook your request.
Contact me
I’m looking forward to your message to