Bethlehem Attfield

Bethlehem Attfield

Department of Modern Languages
Doctoral researcher Distance Learning

Contact details

PhD title: Sub-Saharan Africa Vernacular Literature: Translating Amharic Fiction
Supervisor: Professor Rebecca Gould
PhD Translation Studies Practice-Based

Qualifications

  • BA in English language and literature at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia
  • MSc in Gender, Culture and Society, Birkbeck, University of London

Biography

I completed my BA in English language and literature at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. In 2000, I got my MSc in Gender, Culture and Society from Birkbeck, University of London. Over the years, I have worked in the humanitarian sector as well as private startup business ventures, with vast experience across emergency relief and rehabilitation project work, gender and human rights advocacy, business management, interpretation, literary translation and creative writing.

I am currently researching Sub-Saharan Africa Vernacular Literature: Translating Amharic Fiction, under the supervision of Professor Rebecca Gould.

Teaching

  • I provide mentoring and one-to-one literary translation on-line courses.

Publications

Books

  • Tarik, Memories of Abyssinian Maidens, Short stories, Blurb Books, 15 March, 2016. ISBN Softcover: 9781364242824
  • Requiem for Potatoes: Translated from Amharic by Bethlehem Attfield Kindle Edition, 24 Nov. 2020.
  • The Lost Spell by Yismake Worku, trans. Bethlehem Attfield, Henningham Family Press, Oct. 2021

Journal and blogs

  • Heaven Without Prickley Pears by Mulugeta Alebachew, co-trans. Bethlehem Attfield, Asymptote Journal Summer 2021 ed.
  • Who is the Judge by Tadelech H/Michael, trans Bethlehem Attfield, Asymptote Journal Fall 2021 ed.
  • Identity Politics and Introspection, Medium, 14 June, 2021
  • A Journey to Ethiopia with A Story, YouTube Podcast Presenter, From 5 Feb. 2021 – to date.

Culture and collections

Schools, institutes and departments

Services and facilities