معرفی
Professor Jerzy Koch is a distinguished academic at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, serving as Professor Ordinarius since 2012 and head of the Department of Dutch and South African Studies. He also maintains an active research fellowship at the University of the Free State in South Africa since 2001. His academic journey includes degrees from Wrocław University (MA in Dutch/Flemish and German, 1982), Catholic University of Leuven (Ph.D. in Dutch/Flemish literature, 1991), and Wrocław University again (D.Litt. in Afrikaans literature, 2002). He earned full professor status in 2005 and Professor Ordinarius title in 2012.
Professor Koch's research focuses on Dutch and Flemish literature of the 19th and 20th centuries, Afrikaans literature, post-colonial literature from South Africa, Suriname, and the Caribbean, and the culture of the Low Countries and South Africa. His scholarly approach combines historical, comparative, and post-colonial perspectives, with particular attention to xenofania (strangeness) in literature and the representation of 'the other' in South African texts. His work often bridges European and African literary traditions, examining cross-cultural influences and translations.
An analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent focus on Afrikaans literary history, with particular emphasis on the development of Afrikaans literature from colonial to post-colonial periods. His scholarship demonstrates expertise in both historical literary analysis and contemporary theoretical frameworks, including affect theory and canon formation. His work on writers like Marie Linde, Olga Kirsch, and Joan Hambidge shows his commitment to recovering marginalized voices in literary history.
- Second prize in the Multatuli-Competition, Amsterdam, 1991
- M. Nijhoff-Award for Translations from Dutch Literature, Amsterdam, 1995
- Minister of National Education Award for outstanding research results (2004, 2005)
- ANV-Visser-Neerlandiaprijs, 2008
- Nagroda Ministerstwa Spraw Zagranicznych Królestwa Holandii for promoting Dutch culture in Poland, 2009
- Order Oficerski Leopolda I (Leopoldsorde), 2010
- aFrykas Roku 2015 in the Science category
- GDYNIA Literary Award for translation, 2023
Professor Koch has supervised numerous academic projects and edited the scholarly journal 'Werkwinkel. Journal of Low Countries and South African Studies.' His international collaborations include work with scholars across Central Europe, South Africa, and the Caribbean. He has been instrumental in establishing academic connections between Polish institutions and universities in South Africa, particularly through his role as Research Fellow at the University of the Free State. His editorial work includes co-founding and editing the 'Werkwinkel Library' series, which has published significant works on Low Countries and South African studies.
Professor Koch maintains strong connections with academic communities in South Africa, particularly through his membership in the South African Academy for Science and Arts and the Afrikaanse Letterkundevereniging. His work demonstrates a commitment to building bridges between Polish and South African academic communities, with particular attention to translation studies and comparative literature. His contributions to understanding the cultural connections between the Low Countries and South Africa have been particularly noteworthy.
