Janko Kos
Encyclopedia
Janko Kos is a Slovenia
n literary historian, theoretician
and critic.
He was born in Ljubljana
in what was then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
as the son of the painter and sculptor Tine Kos. His father was a liberal and freethinker (during World War II
a supporter of the pro-Communist Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
), while his mother was a devout Roman Catholic.
He studied at the University of Ljubljana
, where he graduated from comparative literature
in 1956. Among his schoolmates was the famous literary scholar Dušan Pirjevec Ahac. During this period, Kos became involved in the intellectual endeavours of the so-called Critical generation, a group of young Slovene artists and intellectuals who challenged the cultural policies of the Titoist
regime. Among Kos' closest collaborators during this time were the literary theoretician Taras Kermauner
, dissident sociologist Jože Pučnik
, writer Dominik Smole
, essayist Primož Kozak
, and the poet Dane Zajc
, Kos' cousin. He wrote in the alternative journal Perspektive until they were closed by the Communist regime in 1964.
In 1969 Kos obtained his PhD at the University of Ljubljana under the supervision of Anton Ocvirk. From 1970, he has taught literary theory at the University. Kos dedicated most of his scholarly career researching the literary, intellectual and personal profile of the Slovene Romantic poet France Prešeren
, publishing several innovative studies in this regard. He also researched the literary work of Ivan Cankar
, Matija Čop
and Valentin Vodnik
. He has also written several text books of Slovene and World literature for high schools.
Since 1983, Kos has been a member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
.
Since the late 1990s, Kos has been a public supporter of the Slovenian Democratic Party
. Since 2004 he is member of the liberal conservative civic platform Rally for the Republic .
He is the father of the literary critic Matevž Kos and the father-in-law of the writer and editor Igor Bratož.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n literary historian, theoretician
Literary theory
Literary theory in a strict sense is the systematic study of the nature of literature and of the methods for analyzing literature. However, literary scholarship since the 19th century often includes—in addition to, or even instead of literary theory in the strict sense—considerations of...
and critic.
He was born in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
in what was then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
as the son of the painter and sculptor Tine Kos. His father was a liberal and freethinker (during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a supporter of the pro-Communist Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
On 26 April 1941 in Ljubljana the Anti-Imperialist Front was established. It was to promote "an international massive movement" to "liberate the Slovenian nation" whose "hope and example was the Soviet Union"...
), while his mother was a devout Roman Catholic.
He studied at the University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
, where he graduated from comparative literature
Comparative literature
Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the literature of two or more different linguistic, cultural or national groups...
in 1956. Among his schoolmates was the famous literary scholar Dušan Pirjevec Ahac. During this period, Kos became involved in the intellectual endeavours of the so-called Critical generation, a group of young Slovene artists and intellectuals who challenged the cultural policies of the Titoist
Titoism
Titoism is a variant of Marxism–Leninism named after Josip Broz Tito, leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, primarily used to describe the specific socialist system built in Yugoslavia after its refusal of the 1948 Resolution of the Cominform, when the Communist Party of...
regime. Among Kos' closest collaborators during this time were the literary theoretician Taras Kermauner
Taras Kermauner
Taras Kermauner was a Slovenian literary historian, critic, philosopher, essayist, playwright and translator.- Life :...
, dissident sociologist Jože Pučnik
Jože Pucnik
Jože Pučnik was a Slovenian public intellectual, sociologist and politician. During the Communist regime of Josip Broz Tito, Pučnik was one of the most outspoken Slovenian critics of dictatorship and lack of civil liberties in former Yugoslavia. He was imprisoned for a total of 7 years, and later...
, writer Dominik Smole
Dominik Smole
Dominik Smole was a Slovenian writer and playwright.-Biography:Smole was born in Ljubljana in what was then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia...
, essayist Primož Kozak
Primož Kozak
Primož Kozak was a Slovenian playwright and essayist. He was, together with Dominik Smole, Dane Zajc and Taras Kermauner, the most visible representative of the so-called Critical generation, a group of Slovenian authors and intellectuals that reflected on the paradoxes of the Communist regime,...
, and the poet Dane Zajc
Dane Zajc
Dane Zajc was a Slovenian poet and playwright. He served as president of the Slovene Writers' Association , and was awarded the prestigious Prešeren Award for lifetime achievement...
, Kos' cousin. He wrote in the alternative journal Perspektive until they were closed by the Communist regime in 1964.
In 1969 Kos obtained his PhD at the University of Ljubljana under the supervision of Anton Ocvirk. From 1970, he has taught literary theory at the University. Kos dedicated most of his scholarly career researching the literary, intellectual and personal profile of the Slovene Romantic poet France Prešeren
France Prešeren
France Prešeren was a Slovene Romantic poet. He is considered the Slovene national poet. Although he was not a particularly prolific author, he inspired virtually all Slovene literature thereafter....
, publishing several innovative studies in this regard. He also researched the literary work of Ivan Cankar
Ivan Cankar
Ivan Cankar was a Slovene writer, playwright, essayist, poet and political activist. Together with Oton Župančič, Dragotin Kette, and Josip Murn, he is considered as the beginner of modernism in Slovene literature...
, Matija Čop
Matija Cop
Matija Čop , also known in German as Matthias Tschop, was a Slovene linguist, literary historian and critic.- Biography :...
and Valentin Vodnik
Valentin Vodnik
Valentin Vodnik was a Slovene priest, journalist and poet from the late Enlightenment period.-Life and work:He was born in Šiška, now a suburb of Ljubljana, then part of the Habsburg Monarchy...
. He has also written several text books of Slovene and World literature for high schools.
Since 1983, Kos has been a member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the national academy of Slovenia, which encompasses science and the arts and brings together the top Slovene researchers and artists as members of the academy....
.
Since the late 1990s, Kos has been a public supporter of the Slovenian Democratic Party
Slovenian Democratic Party
The Slovenian Democratic Party , known until 2003 as the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia is a Slovenian centre-right liberal conservative and Christian democratic party...
. Since 2004 he is member of the liberal conservative civic platform Rally for the Republic .
He is the father of the literary critic Matevž Kos and the father-in-law of the writer and editor Igor Bratož.