‘Foreignize yourself’. What has translation to do with innovation? A translation studies approach to hybrid innovation

This paper develops a translation studies framework to analyse the mechanisms of knowledge exchange and communication occurring in the Anglo-Japanese context of Hybrid Innovation (HI) – a training programme linking academia and corporate industry held yearly at the Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo) in collaboration with Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. While HI is in part aligned to conventional ‘design thinking’ courses, it also distinguishes itself in its ever-evolving blend of methods from art, design, science and the humanities, highlighting its transdisciplinary nature. As an inquiry into the challenges of how to study innovation in transcultural settings, this paper examines the ensuing hybrid methodology of HI through the lens of translation. The goal is to illuminate and problematize discourses concerning creativity and innovation by proposing a translation-inspired conceptual framework based on: a) domestication and foreignization – key concepts from translation studies for dealing with foreign notions within a culture; b) creative translation devices – pedagogical tools that support the learning process; and c) productive uncertainty – a lesson in familiarization with the unknown. The analysis reveals that participants engage with uncertainty by learning to pause, reflect and reinterpret their experiences, generating new knowledge in so doing. Rather than delivering a fixed set of innovation techniques, HI functions as a mode of learning through translation and the cultivation of creativity, critical thinking and reflective practice. This approach provides a novel model for knowledge transfer and the development of innovative mindsets in both corporate and academic contexts.