Krzysztof Majer, PhD (b. 1976) works in the Department of American Literature and Culture at the University of Lodz, Poland. The title of his PhD thesis, defended in 2008, is The Picaro Messiah and the Unworthy Scribe: A Pattern of Obsession in Mordecai Richler's Later Fiction. His academic interests include the North American post-war fiction and Jewish literature, although he has also ventured into the field of film criticism. Besides Richler, he has written critical essays on John Barth, Rawi Hage, Mark Anthony Jarman, Timothy Findley, Thomas King and, recently, the Coen Brothers. He plans to devote his post-doctoral thesis to the Canadian Künstlerroman. He also works as a translator of literature, literary criticism and art criticism, frequently collaborating with such journals as Literatura na Swiecie (World Literature) and Art Inquiry. Currently, he is beginning to work on a Polish translation of the Ginsberg-Kerouac letters.
Visiting Scholars Program
In 2000, the Institute opened its Scholar-in-Residence Program to established scholars in the field, as well as to the possibility of post-doctoral candidates who will spend time in Montreal, either teaching a course in Canadian Jewish Studies or conducting research related to the field. In the past, we have followed both models and are open to both in the future.
We aim to revive this program in 2024: stay tuned!
Visiting Scholar for 2011
Submissions
For all interested applicants, please submit a detailed cover letter with plans for teaching or archival research (or both), as well as a curriculum vitae and supporting material in the form of published work. The Institute offers an office during the time of the candidate's tenure, and does its best to publicize the scholar's published work and research. The time of the scholar's residence is flexible, based on the application made by each candidate. For further information, please contact Dr. Ira Robinson at (514) 848-2424 ext. 8760.
Past Scholars
In the 2001-2002 academic year, Dr. Richard Menkis from the University of British Columbia gave a compact graduate course on Canadian Jewish history. Prior to Dr. Menkis' residency, Dr. Frank Bialystok did substantial archival work at the local archives, while giving public talks and launching his book, Delayed Impact: The Holocaust and the Canadian Jewish Community.
In January 2004, the Institute welcomed its third visiting scholar, Rebecca Margolis from Columbia University (New York). In addition to teaching a course on The Montreal Yiddish Experience , Ms. Margolis was the Assistant Coordinator of the Traduire le Montréal Yiddish / New Readings of Yiddish Montreal conference.
Professor Richard Menkis was the 2007 Institute Scholar in Residence. He taught a special compact graduate course in Canadian Jewish Studies and Diaspora Studies titled Diasporic Culture in Theory and Practice: The Case of Canadian Jews.