prof. dr hab.Zdzisław Wąsik

Websites / Profiles

Degrees

  • M.A, in German, Wrocław, 1971
  • Ph.D. in linguistics, Wrocław, 1977
  • D.Litt. in linguistics, Poznań, 1986

Research interests

  • Theory of language
  • Methodology and history of linguistic ideas
  • Semiotics and communication theory
  • Ecology of minority languages

Teaching experience

  • Introduction to the study of language
  • General linguistics
  • Current trends in modern linguistics
  • Semiotics and social communication
  • Cultural anthropology and sociopragmatics
  • Rhetoric, eristic and speech communication
  • Descriptive grammar of English
  • Historical grammar of English
  • Advanced seminars on the semiotics of culture and communication theory
  • Philosophical foundations of language studies
  • Communication Theory

Other professional experience

  • Head, Department of General Linguistics, University of Wrocław, 1984-1999
  • Secretary, Language Commission, Wrocław Learned Society, 1984-1993
  • Head, Department of English Linguistics, School of English, University of Opole, 1991-1992
  • President, Language Commission, Wrocław Learned Society: 1993-1999
  • Expert in linguistics, Polish-U.S.Fulbright Commission, 1993-
  • Head, Linguistics Department, Institute of Foreign Languages, The Vocational State School of Higher Education in Wałbrzych, 2000-2004
  • Head, English Language Department, Chair of English Language, Nicolas Copernicus University in Toruń, 2001-
  • Head, Linguistic Semiotics Department, School of English, Adam Mickiewicz University, 2002-2010
  • Rector of the Philological School for Higher Education in Wrocław 2002–.
  • Head of Department of Linguistic Semiotics and Communicology, Philological School of Higher Education in Wrocław, 2009

Professional organizations

  • Polskie Towarzystwo Językoznawcze (Polish Linguistic Society),1973 -
  • Societas Linguistica Europaea, 1984 -
  • Polskie Towarzystwo Semiotyczne (Polish Semiotic Society), 1986 -
  • Wrocławskie Towarzystwo Naukowe (Wrocław Learned Society), 1990 - 2003
  • Polish Fulbright Alumni Association, 1993 -
  • International Association for Semiotic Studies, 1995 -
  • Applied Linguistics Section, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1973-1981
  • Philological Sciences Commission, Wrocław Chapter, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1996-1998
  • Towarzystwo Polsko-Albańskie; 1997-
  • Komisja Kultur Europejskich Oddziału PAN we Wrocławiu (European Cultures Commission, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław Chapter), 1999-2005

Editorial

  • Editor, Studia Linguistica, Acta Universitatis Wratislaviensis, 1985-1999
  • Chairman and member of editorial board, Rozprawy Komisji Językowej Wrocławskiego Towarzystwa Naukowego, 1997-1999
  • Editor Philologica Wratislaviensia: Acta et Studia; 2008–
  • Editor Philologica Wratislaviensia: From Grammar to Discourse; 2009–
  • Member of editorial board, Zeszyty Humanistyczne, Kolegium Karkonoskie w Jeleniej Górze, 2008–
  • Member of editorial board: Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience (BRAIN), University of Bacău; 2009–
  • Member of editorial board: Transmodernity: Managing Global Communication. Proceedings of the ROASS Conference. 2009
  • Member of editorial board: Styles of Communication (Acta Universitatis Danubius. Communicatio), 2009
  • Editor of Philologica Wratislaviensia: Studia Iberica et Latinoamericana, 2012

Scholarships

  • SUNY, Buffalo and Indiana University, Bloomington, post-doctoral Fulbright Fellow 1982-1984
  • Trinity College, Oxford, 1987
  • Brown University, Providence, Rice University, Houston, University of Southern California, UCLA, post-doctoral IREX Fellow, 1991

Visiting professor

  • Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 1980
  • Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopólis, 1987
  • University of Trondheim, 1990
  • University of Groningen, 1990

Guest lectures

  • SUNY, Buffalo, 1982
  • State Universiy of California at San Diego, La Jolla, 1983
  • Rice Universiy, Houston, 1991
  • University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1991
  • Freie Universität Berlin, 1992
  • University of Silesia, Katowice, 1993
  • Technische Universität, Berlin, 1994
  • Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, 1996
  • Lund University, Lund, 1998
  • University of Łódź, Łódź, 1998
  • The Vocational State School of Higher Education, Inaugural Lecture, Wałbrzych, 2000
  • Latvian Academy of Culture. Riga, 2008
  • University of Bacău (Rumunia), 2008
  • New Bulgarian University, Sozopol, 2009
  • University of Bacău, 2009
  • Technische Universität, Berlin, 2010
  • New Bulgarian University, Sozopol, 2010
  • University of Iaşi, 2010
  • Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 2010
  • Rezeknes Augstskola [Rezekne Higher Education Institute], 2011
  • New Bulgarian University, Sozopol, 2011
  • Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 2011
  • Ambasada Rzeczpospolitej Polskiej w Kolumbii, Bogota, 2012
  • University of Tartu, 2012
  • Adam Mickiewicz University, 2012

Papers read at international conferences and congresses

  • 7th International Seminar of Albanian Language, Literature and Civilization, Prishtinë, 1980
  • International Semiotic Symposium: Philosophy of Sign, Puławy, 1980
  • 4th International Summer Institute for Semiotic and Structural Studies, Bloomington, Indiana, 1983
  • 19th Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Ohrid, 1986
  • 33 Congress of the Union of Folklorists' Association of Yugoslavia, Prishtinë, 1986
  • 14th International Congress of Linguists, Berlin, 1987
  • International conference: Problems in the functional-communicative description of language, Sosnowiec, 1988
  • 21st Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Freiburg im Breisgau, 1988
  • 4th Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies, Barcelona-Perpignan, 1989
  • International Conference: La langue albanaise dans le contexte balkanique principalement sous le point de vue des contacts albano-slaves, Warszawa, 1989
  • International Conference: Directions in Semantics, Białowieża, 1990
  • 5th International Conference on the History of Linguistics, Galway, 1990
  • The Young Scholars' School on: Cultural and Cognitive Aspects of Linguistics and Literary Studies, Varna-Dru(ba, 1980
  • 24th Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Kiel, 1991
  • 25th Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Galway, 1992
  • 6th International Conference on the History of Language Sciences, Washington, 1993
  • Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Kraków-Przegorzały, 1993
  • International Conference: New Trends in Semantics and Lexicography, Kazimierz, 1993
  • 5th Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies, Berkeley, 1994
  • 27th Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Florence, 1994
  • International Summer Institute for Semiotic and Structural Studies, Imatra, 1995
  • Language-Culture-Ecology, International Forum: Ethnos and Nature 1995, Poprad, 1995
  • Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Leiden, 1995
  • 30th Colloquium of Linguistics, Gdańsk, 1995
  • 6th International Conference on Minority Languages, Gdańsk, 1996
  • Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Klagenfurt, 1996
  • 7th International Conference on The History of Linguistics, Oxford, 1996
  • International Conference devoted to the Memory of Profesor Ludwik Zabrocki, Poznań, 1996
  • Symposium: Eurolinguistik ein Schritt in die Zukunft, Berlin, 1997
  • 30th Poznań Linguistic Meeting, Poznań, 1997
  • 6th Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies, Guadalajara, 1997
  • 16th International Congress of Linguists, Paris, 1997
  • Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Gotenburg, 1997
  • International Conference at the Occasion of the 650th Anniversary of Charles University, Prague, 1998
  • International Conference: Scientific Discourse - Tradition and Change, Kamień Śląski, 1998
  • 31st Poznań Linguistic Meeting, Poznań, 1998
  • International Summer Institute for Semiotic and Structural Studies, Imatra (Finland), 1998
  • Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, St. Andrews (Scotland), 1998
  • 32nd Poznan Linguistic Meeting:, Poznań, 1999
  • International Summer School for Semiotic and Structural Studies, (Finland), 1999
  • Societas Linguistica Europaea 32nd Annual Meeting: Ljubljana, 1999
  • 7th Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies, Dresden, 1999
  • International Interdisciplinary Conference on Metaphor and Cognition, Toruń, 1999
  • The Nordic-Baltic Summer Institute for Semiotic and Structural Studies and 19th Annual Meeting of the Semiotic Society of Finland, Imatra, Finland, 2000
  • Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Poznań, 2000
  • International Translational Conference. The Lodz Session of the 3rd International Maastricht-Lodz Duo Colloquium on Translation and Meaning, Łódź, 2000
  • 33rd Poznań Linguistic Meeting, Bukowy Dworek, 2001
  • International Summer Institute for Semiotic and Structural Studies, Imatra (Finland), 2001
  • Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Leuven, 2001
  • The 4th International Symposium on Postcards, Hämeenlinna (Finnland), 2001
  • Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Potsdam, 2002
  • GlobE 2002.Globalization: English and Language Change in Europe, Centrum Falenty / Warsaw, 2002
  • 8th Congress of the of International Association for Semiotic Studies, Lyon, 2004
  • GlobE 2004: Bridges and Walls in Metalinguistic Discourse, Warsaw, 2004
  • International Conference: Constructing Worlds. Constructivism and the Changing status of Knowledge, Toruń, 2005
  • International Summer School for Semiotic and Structural Studies under auspices of the of International Association for Semiotic Studies, Imatra 2005
  • International Conference of the Romanian Association of Semiotic Studies: Semiotics Beyond Boundaries, Slănic-Moldova, 2006
  • Konferencja Wydziału I Filologicznego PAU: Językoznawstwo historyczne i typologiczne w 100-lecie urodzin profesora Tadeusza Milewskiego, Kraków 2006
  • 9th World Congress of the International Association for Semiotic Studies, Helsinki–Imatra, 2007
  • 40th Annual Societas Linguistica Europaea Meeting, Joensuu, 2007
  • 38th Poznań Linguistic Meeting, Gniezno, 2007
  • METAMIND 2008: Metamorphoses of the World: Traces, Shadows, Reflections, Echoes and Metaphors. Riga, 2008
  • I Międzynarodowa Konferencja Naukowo-Szkoleniowa pt. Słowo jako wyraz duchowości człowieka: Koncepcje kształcenia filologicznego w edukacji regionalnej i europejskiej, Jelenia Góra, 2008
  • 2nd Romanian Association of Semiotic Studies (ROASS) International Conference,. Bacău & Slănic-Moldova, 2008
  • International Symposium on Cultural Semiotics under the auspices of International Association for Semiotic Studies, Nanjing (China), 2008
  • American Conference for Academic Disciplines. Orlando, Florida, 2009
  • Consultant Assembly for Discussing the Idea of Urban Discourse in Semiotic Terms, Wrocław, 2009
  • International Summer School for Semiotic Studies: Pan European Culture Heritage in the Global World, Imatra, 2009
  • International Conference: Individual and Specific Signs (3rd edition). Cultural Spaces and Identities in (Inter)Action. Bacău, 2009
  • Fifth International Conference: Model-Based Reasoning in Science and Technology. Abduction, Logic, and Computational Discovery, Campinas, Brazil, 2009
  • The International Colloquium: In Search of Innovatory Subjects for Language and Culture Courses, Jelenia Góra, 2010
  • International Summer School for Semiotic and Structural Studies. Summer Schools and Festival: 25 Years Semiotics in Imatra, Imatra, 2010
  • International Conference: Alternate Construals in Language, Literature, and Culture. Wrocław, 2010
  • International Research and Arts Project METAMIND: Metamorphoses of the Absolute, Riga, 2010
  • 3rd Romanian Association of Semiotic Studies International Conference: Semiotics Creativity: Unifying Diversities, Differences, Divides, Iaşi, Romania, 2010
  • PLM2011 Workshop session: The semiotic self in communicative interactions. 42nd Poznań Linguistic Meeting, 2011
  • The International Conference on Economics and Administration (ICEA 2011), Bucharest, 2011
  • International Conference: People and the Value of an Organization – Social, Human and Intellectual Capital, Częstochowa – Koszęcin, 2011
  • Fifth ICI Summer Conference: Symposium: Human Understanding: The Matrix of Communication and Culture. Seminar: Communicology: Applied Pedagogy and Research, Jelenia Góra, 2011
  • 30th International Human Science Research Conference: Intertwining Body-Self World, Oxford, 2011
  • Tartu Summer School of Semiotics, Palmse Manor, Estonia ,2011
  • 36th Annual Meeting of the Semiotic Society of America: Worldviews. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2011
  • 1st International Conference on Semiotics and Visual Communication: From Theory to Praxis, Limassol, Cyprus, 2011
  • II Colombian Conference on Logic, Epistemology, and Philosophy of Science, Bogotá, Colombia, 2012
  • International Conference: Cultural Polyglotism. Dedicated to Juri Lotman’s 90th Anniversary, Tartu, Estonia, 2012
  • Symposium: Semiotics of Belonging: Existential, Axiological and Praxeological Aspects of Self-Identity at Home and Abroad. 27th International Summer School for Semiotic and Structural Studies, Imatra, Finland, 2012
  • Sixth International Conference: Model-Based-Reasoning in Science and Technology. Theoretical and Cognitive Issues, Sestri Levante, Italy, 2012
  • Semiotics. International Conference: Gatherings in Biosemiotics 12, Tartu, Estonia, 2012
  • International Conference: Humans, Media and Communication Paradigms. Respecification of Printing Media in the Age of Smart Media, Cheongju City, South Korea, 2012
  • The 11th World Congress of the International Association for Semiotics. Global Semiotics: Bridging Different Civilizations, Nanjing, China, 5-9 October, 2012
  • “Philosophy of Communication”. 6th International Communicology Institute Summer Conference. First Annual Duquesne Conference, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, 2012
  • Tartu Summer School 2013: “Autocommunication in Semiotic Systems. 40 Years After the Theses on the Semiotic Study of Culture”, Kääriku, 2013
  • 1st International Congress of Numanities: “The Role of Humanities in Contemporary Society: Semiotics, Culture, Technologies”, Kaunas, 2014
  • 33rd International Human Science Research Conference: “Embracing Paradox: The Future and Phenomenology, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, 2014
  • Roundtable “Existential Semiotics”. 12th World Congress of Semiotics: “New Semiotics Between Tradition and Innovation”, Sofia, 2014
  • International Research Arts Project METAMIND’2014: “The Order in Destruction and the Chaos of Order. Freedom”, Riga, 2014
  • Semiotics of Cultural Heritages: “From Authenticity to Informatics”, Istanbul, 2015
  • 2nd International Congress of Numanities: “Creativity, Diversity, Development”, Kaunas, 2015
  • Seventh International Conference: Model-Based-Reasoning in Science and Technology. “Models and Inferences: Logical, and Cognitive Issues”. Sestri Levante, 2015
  • 34th International Human Science Research Conference: “Culture and Morality as the Girders of the Human Experience”, Trondheim, 2015
  • Tartu Semiotics Summer School 2015 / IX Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies Conference “Semiotic (Un-)Predictability”. Tartu, 2015
  • The 40th Semiotic Society of America Annual Meeting: “Evolutionary Love: Relations and Identities in a Virtual World”, Pittsburgh, 2015
  • The First Polish Bateson Symposium: “The Challenge for Humanities: Ecology of Mind. Gregory Bateson in Poland”, Dąbrowa Górnicza, 2016
  • Ogólnopolska Konferencja naukowa „Kurs na de Saussure’a”, Poznań, 2016
  • The 3rd International Congress of Numanities: “Processes, Maps, Narratives”, Kaunas, 2016
  • First edition of the International Conference: “Semiosis in Communication: Knowing and Learning”, Bucharest, 2016
  • The Second Conference of the International Association for Cognitive Semiotics, Lublin, 2016
  • The 35th International Human Science Research Conference: “Life Phenomenology: Movement, Affect & Language”, Ottawa, 2016
  • 9th International Deleuze Studies Conference: “Virtuality, Becoming, and Life”, Rome, 2016

Organizer of international conferences and congresses

  • Member of the Organizational Committee, Societas Linguistica Europaea 33rd Annual Meeting, Poznań, 2000
  • Co-organizer of the international conference: Constructing Worlds. Constructivism and the Changing status of Knowledge, Toruń, 2005
  • Co-organizer of the workshop (with Doina Cmeciu, University of Bacău): “Unfolding the Semiotic Web in Discourse Formations, 38th Poznań Linguistic Meeting, Gniezno, 2007.
  • Co-organizer and president of scientific committee: I Międzynarodowa Konferencja Naukowo-Szkoleniowej pt. Słowo jako wyraz duchowości człowieka: Koncepcje kształcenia filologicznego w edukacji regionalnej i europejskiej [1st International Conference: The word as an expression of human spirit. Conceptions of philological training in regional and European education], Jelenia Góra, 2008
  • Co-organizer and member of scientific committee of: 2nd Romanian Association of Semiotic Studies (ROASS) International Conference,. Bacău & Slănic-Moldova, 2008
  • Organizer and member of scientific committee of international meeting: Consultant Assembly for Discussing the Idea of Urban Discourse in Semiotic Terms, Wrocław 2009
  • Organizer of international meeting: Consultant Assembly for Discussing the Idea of Urban Discourse in Semiotic Terms II, Jelenia Góra, 2009
    Director of symposium: „Semiotics Now”. International Summer School for Semiotic Studies: Pan European Culture Heritage in the Global World. Imatra, 2009
  • Co-organizer (with Daina Teters, Riga; Roland Posner, Berlin; and Richard L. Lanigan, Washington, DC) of plenary round table and thematic session: Unfolding the Semiotic Web in Urban Discourse. 10th World Congress of Semiotics: Culture of Communication, Communication of Culture. La Coruña, 2009
  • Co-organizer and member of scientific committee: International Conference: Individual as Specific Signs (3rd edition) Cultural Spaces and Identities in (Inter)action, October 16–17, 2009
  • Organizer of: The International Colloquium: In Search of Innovatory Subjects for Language and Culture Courses, Jelenia Góra, 2010
  • Organizer and director of symposium: “Applied Semiotics: Constructivism and Identity Formation”. International Summer School for Semiotic and Structural Studies. Summer Schools and Festival: 25 Years Semiotics in Imatra, Imatra, 2010
  • 1th World Congress of the International Association for Semiotics. Global Semiotics: Bridging Different Civilizations, Nanjing, China, 5-9 October, 2012
  • Philosophy of Communication: Sixth International Communicology Institute Summer School (co-organized with Richard L. Lanigan), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, 2013
  • Roundtable: “Existential Semiotics” (co-directed with Eero Tarasti). 12th World Congress of Semiotics: New Semiotics Between Tradition and Innovation, Sofia, 2014

Conference organizer

  • President of organizational committee, Colloquium: Open Linguistics in Wrocław on the Occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Birth of Professor Antoni Furdal Under the Auspices of the Language Commission of the Wrocław Learned Society, 1998)

Honours

  • Minister's of Higher Education, Science and Technology of Poland Award (3rd degree) for outstanding Ph.D. dissertation, 1979
  • Minister's of National Education Award (3rd degree) for outstanding D.Litt. dissertation, 1988
  • The Oxford Alumni Card, affiliated since 2005 as Friend, and since 2010 as Associate
  • Elected as Fellow of the International Communicology Institute on the recommendation of the Director Richard Leo Lanigan from the United States of America, 2005
  • Nominated as (Foreign) Member of Romanian Association of Semiotic Studies  [Asociaţia Româna de Studii Semiotice], Bacău, Romania, 2007
  • His Department of Linguistic Semiotics and Communicology was officially certified as a Research Group Affiliate as of 1 November 2009
  • Appointed as Member of the I.C.I. Bureau of Regional-Continental Coordinators for Europe, on 15th November 2009
  • Member of the Executive Committee, International Association for Semiotic Studies, 2009
  • Granted the International Journal of Arts & Sciences Best Conference Paper Award, Orlando, Florida, 2009
  • Nominated as I.C.I. Director of Regional Coordinators for Europe, Washington, DC, 2011
  • Nominated as (Foreign) Member of Semiotic Society of America, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2011
  • Elected as Honorary Member of Semiotic Society of Finland [Semiotiska Sällskapet i Finland] – Imatra, Finland, 2012

Decorations

  • Silver Cross of Merit from the President of the Polish Republic for organizational and educational achievements, 2008
  • Golden Cross of Merit from the President of the Polish Republic for scientific achievements in the international activity, 2011