On August 20, 2026, the Global Network Seminar was held, and the seminar welcomed Professor Ovidi Carbonell i Cortés from the University of Salamanca as the guest speaker.

Professor Carbonell began by introducing the historical development of Translation Studies, explaining how the discipline has evolved from viewing translation primarily as a linguistic activity to understanding it as a broader process of cultural mediation. Referring to influential concepts such as formal and dynamic equivalence, he illustrated how translation involves not only transferring linguistic meaning but also negotiating cultural differences and the expectations of different audiences.

The lecture then focused on the ethnographic turn in Translation Studies. Professor Carbonell explained how ethnographic approaches enable researchers to examine translation within its social, cultural, and historical contexts. Rather than treating translation as an isolated linguistic practice, he demonstrated how it is embedded in everyday interactions, institutions, and power relations. Drawing on examples from literary translation, legal translation, migration, multilingual cities, and the history of cultural exchange between Europe and the Arab world, he showed how translation both reflects and shapes cultural identities and social realities.

Another key theme of the lecture was the concept of the translational city, which emphasizes that multilingual urban spaces are formed through continuous encounters among languages and cultures. Professor Carbonell discussed how translation influences public spaces, migration, cultural adaptation, and communication across linguistic communities. He also highlighted the importance of considering issues such as linguistic diversity, cultural negotiation, and power relations when examining translation from an ethnographic perspective.

The seminar provided participants with a valuable opportunity to deepen their understanding of the ethnographic approach in Translation Studies and the broader cultural and social dimensions of translation. It also encouraged participants to reflect on translation as a dynamic process that shapes identities, cultures, and intercultural communication, offering new perspectives for students and researchers interested in Translation Studies and related fields.