Jan Sowa

Polish sociologist, essayist, and translator. He studied the Polish language, psychology and philosophy at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and at the Université de Paris 8 in Saint-Denis. Since 2006 he has held the title of Doctor of sociology, and he works as an adjunct at the Cultural Institute of the Jagiellonian University. He has travelled extensively through places such as India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and both American Continents in connection with the anti-globalisation movement. He is a co-creator of Korporacja Ha!art and of the Spółdzielna Goldex Poldex (with Kuba de Barbaro and Janek Simon). He has published his writing in “Lampa”, “Krytyka Polityczna”, and “Ha!art” magazines. He has translated books and articles in the fields of politics, philosophy and sociology. He has also worked as a journalist in the Krakow offices of Polish Radio. His interests are focused on social and cultural questions – he takes on cultural theory in its broader meaning, problems associated with media, social transformations in Western civilization, colonialism, globalisation, and immigration. He published a collection of his essays “Sezon w tatrze lalek” (A Season in the Puppet Theatre, 2003) and the book “Ciesz się, późny wnuku! Kolonializm, globalizacja i demokracja radykalna” (Enjoy, Late Grandson! Colonialism, gobalisation and radical democracy, 2008). He lives in Krakow. At the Second Conrad Festival he will conduct a meeting with Walter Benn Michaels entitled “Gra w klasy. Polityka społeczeństwo, kultura” (Game of Classes. Politics, society, culture.)