BIP Silence – Absence – Inaction. Old Concepts in the World of Abundance

Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań organizira BIP program na koji se zainteresirani studenti mogu prijaviti:

Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP)
Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań
/Faculty of Polish and Classical Philology, Literature Affirmation Center/
Silence – Absence – Inaction. Old Concepts in the World of Abundance

We live in a world of overload – of information and communication, of pleasure and commodities. The word “overstimulation” is everywhere – it is circulating through media, private conversations, and publications both serious and less so. Overstimulation overstimulates us. We inhabit what Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University, has called the age of indulgence.

The aim of the program is to examine the fundamental forms of resistance available to us – how we might experience them, as well as how we can think and speak about them. These forms are provisionally grouped under three concepts: silence, absence, and inaction, which also function as interdisciplinary focal points of the project. Silence can be understood both as a social practice of avoiding noise and as a method of artistic exploration (as in John Cage’s legendary 4’33”). Absence responds to the experience of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and resonates with the theological tradition of via negativa. Inaction encompasses, among other things, the Taoist concept of wu wei and the famous phrase from Herman Melville’s story: “I would prefer not to”.

In addition to educational aspects, the program seeks to cultivate critical awareness and to promote international and intercultural collaboration, with a strong emphasis on group work. The program consists of two components: in-person meetings in Poznań during the summer school, focused on practical and experiential elements (June 29 – July 3, 2026; 20 contact hours in total), and an online component with a stronger theoretical orientation (May 29 and June 12 2026 – 10 hours).

The BIP will conclude with presentations of student projects developed in international groups formed during the online sessions. Student teams will work using the PBL (problem-based learning) method under the guidance of a tutor experienced in this approach.

Program Framework (work in progress)

On-line phase:

In-person component – Poznań, Poland: