dr Irena Chawrilska
Irena Chawrilska, PhD
DEGREES
2016 – PhD degree in literary studies, University of Gdańsk, PhD thesis title: Hybridity of an Artistic Work on the Border of Literature and Visual Arts
2011 – Master’s degree in literary studies and linguistics (specialisation: Polish language and Polish literature in European civilisation, specialisation: editorial), University of Warsaw, thesis topic: Work of Art as a Form. Cognitive Value of an Avant-garde Work of Art
2009 – Master’s degree in philosophy, University of Warsaw, thesis topic: Cognitive Value of a Work of Art in Russian formalism
ACADEMIC AND WORK EXPERIENCE
2025 – visiting researcher, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, France
guest speaker at the Intensive Summer Course, University of Hong Kong
2024 – coordinator of the More-than-Human Studies Lab, the Centre for Sustainable Development, UG
2023 – 2024 visiting assistant professor, University of Toronto, Canada
2023 – visiting researcher, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
2021 – director, Academic Centre of Polish Language and Polish Culture for Foreigners, UG
2021–2024 – coordinator of the Culture for Sustainable Development Programme, the Centre for Sustainable Development, UG
2018 – assistant professor at the Faculty of Humanities, UG
2016 – Polish culture and language instructor, UG
2013–2018 – secretary of the editorial office of the journal “Language –School – Religion”
2013 – researcher in The Paula Claire Archive of Sound and Visual Poetry in Oxford (a grant for young scientists)
2013 – teacher of Polish literature and language, philosophy and ethics in Good Education Academy in Gdansk
2011 – researcher in The Centre Pompidou in Paris (a grant for young scientists)
MAJOR RESEARCH and EDUCATION PROJECTS
Coordinator in “Sweet and Salty – a tale of two waters”, Blended Intensive Programme (BIPErasmus+), https://polski.ug.edu.pl/projekty/lost-in-gdansk-slodka-i-slona-opowiesc-o-dwoch-wodach/
Principial Investigator in the international research project „CONVIVIUM: New European Bauhaus Solutions In Food, Living Heritage, And Convivality” (Horizon Europe 2024–2027), https://convivium-neb-project.com
Task Coordinator in SEA-EU For All, Task 2.2 (European University of the Seas Alliance 2023–2027, https://sea-eu.org
GLOTTOPOL – Didactics of Polish as a Foreign Language against the European Background. Publication and training package, the National Agency for Academic Exchange Programme: Promotion of the Polish language 2023, Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange
Increasing migrants' access to vaccine information in the Tri-city area, the National Agency for Academic Exchange: Urgency Grant Programme, 2023 (group grant)
Mapping new agents and tendencies in Ukrainian migrants’ teaching Polish language and culture, the National Agency for Academic Exchange: Urgency Grant Programme, 2023 (group grant)
LOSt in Gdansk, the National Agency for Academic Exchange Programme: SPINAKER 2022 (BPI/SPI/2021/1/00021), Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (coordinator), https://polski.ug.edu.pl/projekty/spinaker/
Voices of Culture Structured Dialogue between the European Commission and the cultural sector on "Youth, Mental Health and Culture”, selected representative of the University of Gdańsk and co-author of the report (2022), https://czrug.ug.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Youth-Mental-Health-and-Culture-BRAINSTORMING-REPORT.pdf
DAAD Ostpartnerschaft, University of Cologne, Germany (2022)
Narratives about sustainable development, the National Agency for Academic Exchange Programme:
Promotion of the Polish language 2021(BJP/PJP/2021/1/00006/DEC/1), Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (coordinator), https://polski.ug.edu.pl/projekty/promocja-jezyka-polskiego-start-trzeciej-edycji-programu/
SEA-EU Alliance coordinator of Virtual Language Courses (2021/2022)
Sustainable development literature in the era of hypermodernism. Questions – directions – challenges, the UGrants–first Programme 2021, University of Gdansk (coordinator)
Communication barriers of migrants in the Polish-speaking environment. The situation of Slavic and non-Slavic-speaking people living in the Pomeranian region, Gdańsk Humanities Support Programme 2021 (group grant)
Intermediality, liberature, hybridity – grant for PhD students of the UG Faculty of Languages (2016)
Liberature – oxymoronic term? – grant for PhD students of the UG Faculty of Languages (2015)
Liberature – total literature or a hybrid work? – grant for PhD students of the UG Faculty of Languages (2014)
Towards the poetics of a hybrid work – grant for PhD students of the UG Faculty of Languages (2013)
The way of existence of a hybrid work – grant for PhD students of the UG Faculty of Languages (2012)
French artistic book – grant for PhD students of the UG Faculty of Languages (2011)
EXHIBITIONS
2026 (contributor)The Earth is Thinking All Along… Exhibition at RADIUS: Center for Contemporary Art and Ecology, Delft. June 13th- September. Curated by Rick Dolphijn
2025 (contributor) November 6th-May 2026 The Earth is Thinking All Along… Exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje. Curated by Rick Dolphijn
SERVICES
secretary of the editorial board in academic journal “Language-School–Religion” (2013–2021)
author of glottodidactic tasks for reading book (grades 7–8) in cooperation with the foundation Together in Poland, public task “We help Ukraine”,
coordinator of Polish language courses as part of the Become competitive with the UG project,
member of the school education group implementing the Immigrant Integration Model in Gdańsk,
author of Polish language, philosophy and ethics curricula at the Institute of Good Education,
co-creator of the concept of an innovative network of schools run by the Institute of Good Education
AWARDS (selected)
2023 – e-Culture Award2023, 3rd Edition “Anthology”, award in the “Acknowledgments” Category, Anilla Cultural LATINOAMERICA–EUROPA, Uruguay
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 – Individual Rector's Award for organizational achievements, UG
2014 – scholarship under the project We educate the best – a comprehensive programme for the development of doctoral students, young doctors and academic teaching staff of the University of Gdańsk (Scholarship and training support for doctoral students and young doctors component) in the Human Capital Operational Program (Priority IV, Measure 4.1, Sub-measure 4.1.1: Strengthening university’s teaching potential) financed by the European Social Fund
2011 – Scholarship of the Minister of Science and Higher Education for outstanding achievements in science
PARTICIPATION IN SCIENTIFIC AND CONFERENCE ORGANISING COMMITTEES (LAST 4 YEARS)
2025 – organiser of the symposium Baltic Waterscapes: Entaglements in Natureculture (10.2025) and New Solidarities in the More-than-Human World (01.2025) (University of Gdansk)
2024 – member of scientific committee of the conference “Polszczyzna edukacyjna. Kontekst szkolny i akademicki w ujęciu glottodydaktycznym” (University of Gdansk)
2023 – member of organizing committee ENIEC Annual Meeting and chair of the session “Empowering elderly migrants and refugees from Ukraine in Poland”
2022 – member of scientific committee of the international conference “Intercomprehension-based L2 learning and teaching” (University of Gdansk, National Agency for Academic Exchange, European Second Language Association)
2022 – member of the scientific committee of the international conference “Science and Education for Sustainable Development” (University of Gdansk); chair: Humanities facing the challenges of the climate crisis
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS (FORTHCOMING)
Dolphijn, Rick and Irena Chawrilska. 2027 (manuscript completed). Swamp Life: the Logic of Softness London. Bloomsbury Academic.
Dolphijn, Rick, Irena Chawrilska and Winnie Yee (ed.) 2026 (under contract) Liquid Landscapes: The More-Than-Human Lives of Deltas, Ann Arbor, Open Humanities Press
Dolphijn, Rick, Irena Chawrilska 2027 (manuscript sent) Baltic Waterscapes: Brackish and More-Than-Human Engagements, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press
Chawrilska I., Deep Dive into Resilience with „Firends from the sea” in Vistula Delta. Practicing Art with Youth, Dolphijn, R and W Yee (ed.) 2026 (under contract). Lives of Deltas. Bloomsbury Academic.
Chawrilska I., Dolphijn R., Learning from the Land: how Must We Think More-than-human Resilience, „Porównania” 2026 (under contract).
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS (SELECTED)
Dolphijn, R., & Chawrilska, I. (2026). Exploring art and the earth: ReLOAD communities, transdisciplinarity and empowering youth. In G. Kochhar-Lindgren, W. Sims-Schouten, & J. Tsao (Eds.), Transdisciplinary experiments: Research, teaching and institutionalisation. UCL Press. https://uclpress.co.uk/book/transdisciplinary-experiments/
Dolphijn, R., & Chawrilska, I. (2026). A new wave of life: Writing the wound otherwise. In Fuck Healing (?) (Ed.), Fuck healing (?) the insomniac dreamers: The dream of a world that has to be fabricated . Set Margins’. https://www.setmargins.press/books/the-insomniac-dreamers/
Chawrilska, Irena, and Rick Dolphijn. “On the Femininity of the Swamp. Reading the Monstrous from a More-Than-Human Perspective.” Przestrzenie Teorii 44 (2025): 29–48.
Chawrilska I., Words cannot capture the swamp. How to re-sense swamp life?, In: The Earth is Thinking All Along Special issue of The Large Glass. Museum of Contemporary, 24-29.
Christian Alonso, Irena Chawrilska, Rick Dolphijn, Kristiina Koskentola, Alex Taek Gwang Lee, Tihomir Topuzovski, Toshiya Ueno. CONCLUSION The Earth is Thinking All Along… A Brief Travelogue in Concepts. In: The Earth is Thinking All Along Special issue of The Large Glass. Museum of Contemporary, 72-79
Chawrilska I., Bagienne opowieści. Perspektywa transkulturowa, in: Lica Zenon, Chawrilska Irena, Lica Aneta (red.): Polszczyzna edukacyjna: kontekst szkolny i akademicki w ujęciu glottodydaktycznym, 2025, Gdańsk, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego, 219-242.
Chawrilska I., Pruszak M., Projekt "LOSt in Gdańsk!". Lokalne narracje, współczesne wyzwania a nauczanie kultury polskiej, in: Lica Zenon, Chawrilska Irena, Lica Aneta (red.): Polszczyzna edukacyjna: kontekst szkolny i akademicki w ujęciu glottodydaktycznym, 2025, Gdańsk, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego, 259–270.
Chawrilska I., Experiences and challenges in the certification of Polish language skills at the University of Gdansk, Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Kształcenie Polonistyczne Cudzoziemców, ISSN 0860-6587, e-ISSN 2449-6839, 33–45.
Chawrilska I., Czapka E., Kamińska W. (2024). The use of microanalysis of communication in exploring communication between migrant parents and teachers in the Polish schools, Gębal, Saturno, Krzyżosiak (red.), Polish as a Foreign and Second Language among Ukrainian Migrants, Vandenhoeck&Ruprecht Verlage, Göttingen.
Gębal P., Krzyżosiak K., Szmyt Z., Chawrilska I. (2024). Praktyki i strategie uczenia się języka polskiego wśród różnojęzycznych migrantów i uchodźców wojennych z Ukrainy, Roczniki Humanistyczne, 2024/10.
Gębal P., Chawrilska I., Krzyżosiak K., Szmyt Z.(2024). Mapping of new tendencies in learning Polish as a foreign language among Ukrainians, in: Theory and practice of Polish language teaching: new methodological concepts / Gębal Przemysław, Janowska Iwona (red.), Interdisziplinäre Verortungen der Angewandten Linguistik, nr 13, Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht unipress.
Chawrilska I., Czapka E. (2023). Eating animals by Jonathan Safran Foer and its reception by Polish readers, European Journal of Transformation Studies, vol. 11, nr 1.
Chawrilska,I., Czaplewska S., Pruszak M., Wielewska-Baka M. (2023), LOST in Gdańsk! Polish culture in the age of uncertainty,.
Challenges for sustainable development: climate change, land use and clean energy, Mrozowska S., Chawrilska I. (red.). (2023). Gdańsk.
Inter-sectoral collaboration to suport Youth Mental Health: synergies and innovations (2023)
Costa L., Lewis F., Chawrilska I., Jevtic M., Mezzalama G., Müer Ch., Overgaard C., Wegener A., Eity Sh. S., Faferek K., Kiss K., Laurila V., Suárez Martinez M., Elsen H. van den.
Chawrilska, I., Pruszak, M., & Sawicka, J. (2022). Polish for sustainability? Kultura polska a wyzwania globalne.
Chawrilska, I. (2021). Narzędzia krytycznego myślenia na lekcji języka polskiego jako obcego w dobie edukacji zdalnej. Acta Universitatis Lodziensis Kształcenie Polonistyczne Cudzoziemców, 28.
Chawrilska, I. (2021). Rzeźba czy ruina? O Schulzu Foera. Schulz/Forum.
Chawrilska, I. (2021). Nauczyciel języka polskiego jako obcego i drugiego w dobie kultury hybrydycznej. W I. Wieczorek & A. Roter-Bourkane (red.), Glottodydaktyka polonistyczna: strategie - wartości – wyzwania.
Chawrilska, I. (2020). Hybrydy i hybrydyczności: z pogranicza literatury i sztuk wizualnych.
Chawrilska, I. (2019). Intermedia w procesie poznawania kultury przez uczniów z doświadczeniem migracji. Roczniki Humanistyczne, 67.
Chawrilska, I. (2019). Transmedialność jako transkulturowe doświadczenie ucznia. Postscriptum Polonistyczne, 235–245.
Chawrilska, I. (2017). Jak modlitwa włożona w szczelinę Ściany płaczu... o Schulzu Jonathana Safrana Foera. Schulz/Forum, 9.
Chawrilska, I. (2016). Korekta za pomocą literówki. Liberatura w kontekście rozważań genologicznych. ER(R)GO. Teoria – Literatura – Kultura.
Chawrilska, I. (2015). Cognitive value of the hybrid work of art. Język - Szkoła - Religia, 10.
Chawrilska, I. (2015). Dzieło hybrydyczne jako wyraz oporu wobec ujęć genologicznych. W J. Wach & Ł. Janicki (red.), Opór - protest – wykroczenie.
Chawrilska, I. (2015). How does a hybrid work of art exist? W P. Gärdenfors, W. Powers, J. Płuciennik, & M. Wróblewski (Red.), On-line/Off-line: between text and experience: writing as a lifestyle.
Chawrilska, I. (2015). The hybrid work of art as experience. W P. Gärdenfors, W. Powers, J. Płuciennik, & M. Wróblewski (Red.), On-line/Off-line: between text and experience: writing as a lifestyle.
Chawrilska, I. (2013). Doświadczenie znaku. Ku poetyce dzieła hybrydycznego. Zagadnienia Rodzajów Literackich/ Problems of Literary Genres, 56.
Chawrilska, I. (2013). Dzieło hybrydyczne jako doświadczenie. Zagadnienia Rodzajow Literackich/ Problems of Literary Genres, 56.
Chawrilska, I. (2013). Lektura campowa jako możliwość - przypadek Peleasa i Melizandy Claude’a Debussy’ego. Polisemia.
Chawrilska, I. (2013). Kategoria doświadczenia a dzieła hybrydyczne. W A. Kawalec & W. Daszkiewicz (red.), Między autentycznością a udawaniem: postawy twórcze w kulturze współczesnej.
CONFERENCES/INVITED TALKS (past four years)
21.04.2026 University of Malta, IM/MIGRATION: Theories and More-than-Human Perspectives
15.04.2026 Lecture: Swamp Life. Biophilium Art Collective, Canada
26.03.2026 University of Algarve, Crafting Resilience: Art as Essential Care, conference From the Vision to Practice: Co-Creating Greene and Digital Teaching Innovations for Sustainability
12.12.2025 University of Coimbra, CECH: Public foodscapes. The case of markets in Gdańsk (with R. Dolphijn)
11.12.2025 NORD University, Empowering educators for a Sustainable and Digital Future, Environmental resilience and art
09.12.2025 NORD University, Empowering educators for a Sustainable and Digital Future, Transdisciplinary approach and co-creation of manifesto for collective development within the SEA-EU University Alliance, with Kaspar Rasmussen (NORD), and Vivi M. L. Storsletten (NORD)
6.11.2025 Opening of The Earth is Thinking All Along… at Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje,. North Macedonia
20.10.2025 How Must We Think More-than-Human Resilience (with R. Dolphijn), conference “(Post)dependency resiliencies. Representations of liberation from violence in literature and culture” (20–23 October 2025, University of Gdansk)
13–14.10.2025 University of Gdańsk, Interdisciplinary Symposium Baltic Wterscapes. Entangelments in Natureculture: Lost sensibilities? Arts, wetlands and resilient communities
3.09.2025 Launch of The More-Than-Human-Studies Lab at Utrecht University, chair of the panel discussion
06.07.2025 Bonobo, Wako University, Tokyo, symposium Sonic Objects or Musico-Materialism: The Earth is Thinking… on Sonic Objects and Landscapes
27.06.2025 Common Core, The University of Hong Kong, seminar Learning in the Wild. Conversations connecting Art and Education: „Sweet and Salty Waters”
23.05.2025 Utrecht University, Cross-disciplinarity sympsium, Cross-disciplinary Humanities: Encounters–Dialogues–Assimilations–Integrations: Swamp Thinking (with prof. Rick Dolphijn)
26.03.2025 EIREST, L’université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, „Foodscapes to come. Speculations on Rotterdam and Gdansk tables” (with prof. Rick Dolphijn)
17.02.2025, Departments of Geography, Environment and Society, Anthropology at the University of Minnesota: "Swamp Thinking... The Drowned... The Decayed" (with prof. Rick Dolphijn)
03–04.10.2024 The Political Lives of Islands, Critical Island Studies International Conference, De la Salle University, Manila “The Hybrid Land? Swamp life and the island of Wolin”
10.06.2024 Museum for Contemporary Art in Skopje “The Earth is Thinking All Along”: “Re-sensing Swamp Life (from Slavic Perspective)”
04–05.06.2024 conference “Polszczyzna edukacyjna – kontekst szkolny i akademicki w ujęciu glottodydaktycznym”; „Bagienne opowieści. Perspektywa transkulturowa”
10.05.2024 Polish Days at the University of Istanbul (invited talk and workshops): „Polski język medyczny: jakich zwrotów i wyrażeń potrzebuję na wizycie u lekarza w Polsce”
19–20.04.2024 „Współczesne wyzwania w nauczaniu Ukraińców języka polskiego oraz polskiej literatury i kultury”, 20 Years of Filologia Polska Narodowego Uniwersytetu Lwowskiego im. Iwana Franki. Ukraina (online); „Wykorzystanie mikroanalizy komunikacji w badaniu rozmów między rodzicami migrantów a nauczycielami w pomorskich szkołach
11.04.2024 „Sensing Swamps in Stormy Times. Slavic Perspective” invited talk and workshops for students and academics from the Environmental Interpretive Center, University of Michigan-Dearborn Michigan-Dearborn, USA
05.04.2024 conference „20 lat państwowego system poświadczania znajomości języka polskiego – doświadczenia i wyzwania”; presentation of achievements of Academic Centre of Polish Language and Culture for Forigners at University of Gdansk
20.02.2024 Utrecht University, ICON, invited talk “Sensing swamps in stormy times”.
30.05.2023 Utrecht University, ICON, invited talk “Deep Dive into Resilience with Friends form the Sea”
24–25.11.2022, “Science and Education for Sustainable Development”, University of Gdansk: “Future humanities: health, environment, community, oral presentation by invitation, chair: Humanities facing the challenges of the climate crisis, international.