Paweł Zajas

Paweł Zajas is a Full Professor at the Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland, with a distinguished international profile spanning Europe and Africa. He also maintains a significant research affiliation as a Research Fellow at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Professor Zajas is recognized globally for his expertise in Dutch and Afrikaans literature, cultural studies, and the sociology of literary translation, particularly examining how literature functions within political and diplomatic frameworks.

Professor Zajas' academic credentials include:

• MA in Dutch Studies, University of Wrocław, 2000
• Ph.D. in Afrikaans and Dutch literature, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań, 2004
• D.Litt. in literature studies, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań, 2009
• Full professor in humanities, 2018

His research focuses on the intricate relationships between literature, cultural policy, and international relations, with particular attention to Dutch literature of the twentieth century, Afrikaans literature, and the transfer of literary works across political boundaries. Professor Zajas has pioneered research on non-fiction literature, propaganda mechanisms, literary archives, and journal studies, revealing how cultural production operates within and across political systems. His work demonstrates how literary works function as both reflections of and influences on international relations.

Professor Zajas' recent publications reveal a consistent scholarly trajectory examining the mechanisms of cultural diplomacy through publishing networks. His work on international book fairs as sites of cultural exchange, socialist literary networks within the Eastern Bloc, and the role of German publishing houses like Suhrkamp in facilitating literary transfer between Eastern and Western Europe demonstrates his unique ability to connect publishing history with broader geopolitical contexts. This research reveals the complex interplay between political structures and literary production, showing how literature both reflects and shapes international relations while operating within specific cultural and political constraints.

Professor Zajas has received significant recognition for his scholarly contributions:

• Rector's Prize for Research Achievement (Adam Mickiewicz University, 2009, 2016, 2020)
• Rector's Prize for Administration (Adam Mickiewicz University, 2013)
• Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers (2017-2019)
• Alexander von Humboldt Return Fellowship (2019-2020)
• Herder-Stipendium für Senior Researcher (2014)

Professor Zajas has secured substantial research funding from national and international organizations, directing projects including 'Socialist transnationalism and the East German publishing field (1956-1989)' funded by the National Science Centre Poland (2022-2025), and 'Socialistische transnationaliteit en de transfer van de Nederlandse literatuur in Midden-Oost-Europa en de Balkanlanden' funded by the Nederlandse Taalunie (2022-2024). His previous projects on Polish-Dutch literary relations in the Suhrkamp publishing house and Polish literary works in the Soviet Occupation Zone and GDR demonstrate his ability to secure competitive funding across multiple countries and disciplines while addressing significant historical questions about cultural transfer.

As an active member of the international scholarly community, Professor Zajas serves as Deputy Chairman of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Committee on Literature Studies, and is a member of the Science Advisory Boards of the Karl Dedecius Archiv and the Institut für Russisch-Deutsche Literatur- und Kulturbeziehungen. His election to the South African Academy of Science and Arts and Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde, along with his participation in numerous international academic organizations, reflects his position as a truly transnational scholar bridging Eastern and Western European academic traditions with African scholarly perspectives.