Another installment of an ongoing virtual series from Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) where we spotlight the innovative work of archival research fellows from around the globe. Held monthly, this series offers a unique opportunity to engage with the latest in archival research across various disciplines. Each session will feature a different fellow presenting their findings and exploring how their work sheds new light on history, scholarship and research.

June's lecture features independent scholar Daria Smirnova, 2021 Ken Kesey fellow. Smirnova holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Oregon and a degree in Linguistics from Russia. Inspired by years of traveling between languages and cultures, her research explores literary translation, bilingualism, and transmediation. Daria’s current archival research examines the role of translation in shaping literary canons. Through comparative analysis of Soviet-era and post-Soviet translations—including those by Nemtsov, Ivanov, and Krutilina—Smirnova investigates shifting translation strategies, with particular attention to censorship, euphemization, and the translator’s visibility. Her current archival research on Kesey’s drafts aims to illuminate the genesis of his texts and the interpretive challenges they present to translators.