developing intercultural competence: empowering students as intercultural mediators

This research challenges the traditional ‘read and translate’ approach to translation pedagogy, arguing that it overlooks the crucial role of translation as intercultural communication. the study introduces the concept of translation as intercultural mediation, drawing on katan’s exploration of hall’s iceberg theory and triad of culture, as well as katan’s hierarchical learning levels. employing a qualitative approach involving diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment types, this study assesses, monitors, and evaluates 19 students at the beginning, during, and at the end of the course, respectively, in an iranian academic context, to track students’ learning trajectory and identify changes in students’ performance. the findings revealed a significant shift in students’ understanding of translation. initially viewing translation as a linguistic task, they developed a deeper understanding of it as an act of intercultural mediation. this shift was marked by students’ improved critical engagement with their own cultural perspectives and an increased capacity for mediating cultural conflicts by developing a third perceptual position. the research concludes that this framework empowers students to shift their perceptual positions based on the specific context of the translation, enabling them to consciously choose their level of intervention based on how they engage with the context: as a mediator or activist.