About the Author

Peter F. L. Jílek (previously also Peter F. 'Rius Jílek) is primarily known for his work in literary criticism, which he began professionally in 2005 while still a master’s student in philology with a specialization in Slovak studies at the Faculty of Arts, Comenius University in Bratislava. His reviews have appeared in various journals and newspapers, including RAK, Knižná revue, Kapitál, Fraktál, and Rozum, where he maintained his own column. In addition to criticism, he is also active in academic research and teaching.

• Since 2018, he has been affiliated with the Department of Slovak Studies at the Institute of West Slavic Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb. He had previously taught there from 2012 to 2016, leading practical language courses as well as lectures and seminars on twentieth-century short prose, morphology, lexicology and phraseology, and orthography. He also represents the Slovak Language and Culture Lectureship of the Slovak Ministry of Education in Croatia.

• Peter F. L. Jílek began his academic career in 2008 at the Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, where until 2012 he taught seminars on the theory, methodology, and interpretation of twentieth-century Slovak literature. He has also taught Slovak literature to international students at Studia Academica Slovaca – Centre for Slovak as a Foreign Language, mainly as an instructor for intensive summer courses, year-long extensive courses, and programs for future lecturers.

• Between 2008 and 2010, he worked as a lecturer of Slovak as a foreign language at the Department of Languages of the Faculty of Pharmacy, and from 2010 to 2012 he led seminars on poetics, rhetoric, and stylistics at the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts.

• After returning from Croatia, in 2016–2017 he coordinated certified language testing according to the standards of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) at the Centre for Continuing Education of Comenius University, also serving as the university’s representative in this international NGO. He additionally led intensive courses in Slovak as a foreign language and specialized seminars for international students of the humanities.

• In 2017, he taught Slovak for political science students at the Faculty of International Relations, University of Economics in Bratislava,

• and in 2017–2018 he led Slovak-for-medical-purpose seminars at the Institute of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava.

• From 2008 to 2013, he was editor-in-chief of the Slovak section of the Czech periodical Iliteratura and published social commentary for Je to tak, the Slovak edition of Le Monde diplomatique.

• He has edited and proofread texts for the publishing houses KK Bagala, Absynt, and Ikar, and translated a novel from English into Slovak for Albatros Media. He has served as a juror for literary competitions such as Cena cien, Cena Fantázie, Zrkadlenia, and Anasoft litera, and moderates literary discussions, including events such as Literatour and the Bratislava Book Festival BRaK. Between 2013 and 2015, he was the main co-organizer of the largest festival of contemporary Slovak art in Croatia, Days of Slovak Culture.