Marta Gosovska

Visiting Scholar at the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute

February - October 2026

Supported by the Fulbright Research and Development Program

Research Project

Building a Global Future for Ukrainian Literature: Translation, Publishing, and Cultural Exchange

During her Fulbright fellowship, Marta Gosovska will examine the editorial, translation, and marketing practices of American publishing houses that publish Ukrainian literature in English translation. While global interest in Ukrainian writing has grown significantly, Ukraine’s publishing infrastructure remains in a formative stage. This project seeks to analyze how U.S. publishers select, translate, edit, position, and promote Ukrainian literary works, ranging from classical authors to contemporary bestsellers, and how these strategies shape reception in English-speaking markets.

Through fieldwork, participant observation, interviews, and case studies, I will collaborate with editorial and marketing teams engaged in Ukrainian translation. The research will focus on acquisition criteria, translator selection, and editorial standards, promotional strategies, reception analysis, and professional network-building. Drawing on my experience facilitating English translations of contemporary Ukrainian authors and collaborating with translators, academics, and international publishers, I will document best practices that ensure both literary quality and market relevance. The project aims to adapt these insights to strengthen the Ukrainian publishing sector, develop sustainable translation infrastructure, and expand the global presence of Ukrainian literature. Ultimately, this research seeks to foster long-term cultural exchange and professional collaboration between Ukrainian and American literary communities.

Biography

Marta Gosovska is a translator, scholar of comparative literature, and Editor-in-Chief of the Foreign Department at Laboratoria Publishing House in Ukraine. She holds a Master’s degree in Literary Theory and Comparative Studies from Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and is currently working on her doctoral studies at the same institution.

Marta Gosovska has led translation initiatives at Laboratoria Publishing House, shaping the international presence of Ukrainian literature while continuing her extensive practice as a literary translator. Her translations from English into Ukrainian include works by Kate Fox, Horst Kaechele, Karmen Maria Machado, Judy Blume, Olivia Laing, and Lois Lowry, among others. She is also an active translator of Ukrainian literature into English, with excerpts published in the London Review of Books, Los Angeles Review of Books, and the Index of Censorship. Her recent projects include co-translation of A Ukrainian Christmas (Sphere, UK) and The Weapons of World War III: Ukrainian Experience. Her expertise lies in literary translation, comparative studies, publishing strategy, and the international promotion of Ukrainian literature.