Interpreter-mediated Communication as Part of the Education of Public Sector Professionals in Norway

PhD project exploring in what degree is interpreting a part of the education of Norway’s future nurses, police officers and social workers?

Employees in the public sector regularly encounter multilingual residents and are expected to provide equitable services to everyone, regardless of language. All service users also have an equal right to speak and be heard. Therefore, an interpreter is often necessary. I investigate interpreting as a topic in the education of three welfare professions that rely on communication to do their jobs well. The PhD project is an exploratory study in which narratives and conceptions of the interpreting profession emerge.

• What happens when these are put into practice and shape professionals’ encounters with real people?
• Can the narratives tell us something about professionals’ challenges with linguistic inequality?

A mapping of professional education programs shows that most programs do not teach interpreting. I have examined Bachelor’s programs in health, social work, and police studies, and analyzed syllabi, observed teaching, and spoken with students, lecturers, and supervisors.

Through critical analysis of syllabus materials and other documents, reflection notes, and transcripts of observed teaching and interviews, I have developed practice narratives about how education meets reality in interpreting.

Maria Wattne’s publications (nva.sikt.no).

Supervisors