International Research Project funded by a HARMONIA Grant of the Polish National Science Center,  2012-2014 

Opening Lecture – Zygmunt Bauman

We are pleased to announce that the NCD Symposium Opening Lecture, will be delivered by  Professor Zygmunt Bauman

Zygmunt Bauman is renowned for his analyses of the links between modernity and the Holocaust and his studies of postmodern consumerism. He has published 57 books and over a hundred scholarly articles. These address themes which include globalisation, modernity, bureaucracy, post-modernity, individualisation, consumerism and ethics. Since 1971,professor Bauman has resided in England. He is an emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Leeds.

See the trailer of the documentary produced to highlight some of  Bauman's key ideas and achievements"The Trouble with Being Human These Days":

http://vimeo.com/24091395

The reality of dynamically evolving communication technologies creates new models of perception, learning, shaping human relations, and cooperation. Tools for social activity provided by the so called new media can significantly affect the state development and maintenance of intercultural contacts and relationships. On one hand, the communication revolution has greatly increased individual access to the texts, values, models and representatives of other cultures. On the other hand, the strong effect of global centers of information, entertainment, and public opinion causes the establishing of a pan-national system of reference. Communications, themes, and ideas circulating in the main channels of information and cultural participation become familiar to all users, no matter their place of origin. On the basis of the mass culture, key events and processes discussed in the global arena, new narratives, ideas, and social expectations are created and these affect the states and actions of various subjects shaping intercultural relations.

The world debate about the roles and possibilities of new technologies in education and the shaping of attitudes and behaviours is becoming more and more intense. Traditional text-based techniques and tools are being replaced by those based on digital realis, making education and the development of social ties  less constrained by the older  limitations of time and space, especially for "digital" generation.

The conference is a part of a co-operation project between Jagiellonian University, Northern Illinois University and Columbia College Chicago.

Schedlue and flyer