Unpacking Identity Tensions and Agency of Translation and Interpreting Teachers: A Case Study in China

ABSTRACT Whilst there has been much research on tensions arising from multiple teacher identities and conflicts between internal struggles and external demands, limited attention has been given to translation and interpreting (T&I) teachers’ identity tensions and their agency in resolving these tensions in higher education. To address this gap, drawing on the ecological perspective, this qualitative case study explored three T&I teachers’ experienced identity tensions and agency in resolving these tensions in their professional development. Multiple sources of data were collected, including in‐depth interviews, reflective journals, and documents, such as course syllabi, lesson plans, and news reports. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. The findings reveal T&I teachers’ multiple and complicated identity tensions, including those among the teacher, researcher, and translator/interpreter identities, tensions with prevailing generative artificial intelligence, and tensions with institutional demands. To resolve these tensions, the participants enacted agency in multiple ways, including switching between researcher and teacher identities, negotiating researcher and teacher identities, and integrating researcher and translator/interpreter identities into teacher identity. The study concludes with important implications for T&I teachers and institutions to help T&I teachers survive and thrive in higher education.