Afghan Literary Translation

Since 2020, Dr Popalzai has worked with Afghan writers and literary initiatives, including Paranda Writers/Untold Narratives, translating contemporary Afghan fiction for English-language readers.

My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird

Dr Popalzai was one of the translators of My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women, MacLehose Press, 2022.

• Companion — Maryam Mahjoba
• Dogs Are Not to Blame — Masouma Kawsari
• A Common Language — Fatema Haidari
• Bad Luck — Atifa Mozaffari
• D Is for Daud — Anahita Gharib Nawaz
• The Black Crow of Winter — Marie Bamyani
• My Pillow's Journey of Eleven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Six Kilometres — Farangis Elyassi
• Ajah — Fatema Khavari
• Khurshid Khanum, Rise and Shine — Batool Haidari, co-translated with Parwana Fayyaz
• Please Turn the Air Conditioning On, Sir — Maryam Mahjoba, co-translated with Parwana Fayyaz

Selected Literary Translations

Translation, Language & Culture

Literary translation requires attention not only to words but also to idiom, cultural references, social relationships, tone and authorial voice. This work is distinct from Dr Popalzai's country-expert research but complements his wider engagement with Afghan languages, society and cultural expression.