The work of the Belgian writer Nicole Malinconi is largely in line with the tendency to fragmentarity, which in addition to hybridism and collage is one of the main trends of post-modern narratives. In her works, fragmentarity is manifested in the form of a short story, which the author herself calls the brève. The article is an analysis of the characteristics of the short form, proper for Malinconi, and especially for its socially engaged works in which it performs important functions. The short story, through its brevity and the resulting intensity, interacts more easily with the reader. It also gains considerable critical power.

Interpreting the Gospel parable of the Prodigal Son and the Loving Father (Luke 15:11–32), J. Ratzinger/Benedict XVI shows the essence of the biggest problems of modern (particularly Western) society. The younger son’s journey to remote places, far from his father, symbolizes the fundamental gap between the present and God, which - although promising a happy and independent life – turns out to debase him. Blind questioning of the existing order (including the order of Creation!), an apotheosis of variability and a priori assumption of the new-over-the-old superiority, inevitably lead to confusion, with relativism becoming a “moral” reference and criterion for every action. Finally: bitterness and a protest generating violence, emptiness looking for satisfaction in drug-induced ecstasy, men seen as destroyers and enemies of nature. The only solution is a spiritual battle and metanoia – a return to the Father.

The paper presents historical concepts and paradigms of the institution of university as well as its present and future models.

As a starting point, the origin, structure and function of the medieval university are discussed; then, four basic concepts of university formed in the 19th century are given, namely the German model of Wilhelm Humboldt and Johann Fichte, the English model of Cardinal Newman, the American model formed aft er foundation of the John Hopkins University and the French model – the Napoleonic model ofuniversity.

What follows is an analysis of the changes and evolution of universities in the 20th century. It is indicated that the essence of today’s university is composed of the following activities: didactics, research and professional training. A great significance of general and formal education is also emphasized. Th e priority is given to practising basic disciplines at universities and the significance of the humanities for general education of students, including philosophy, theology and ethics is stressed.

The author is warning us against single-discipline education in a situation when all contemporary problems, whether economic, political, social, ethical or technical, can only be solved on the interdisciplinary basis via cooperation of experts in different fields. The gap between visions of the world shaped by natural sciences and the humanities should be gradually bridged. To this end, a paradigm of the future university is put forward. The paradigm should provide for cultivation of the values derived from the Classical University rooted in the Greco-Roman and Christian tradition, mathematical exactness of scientific research and quality professional training of the Positivist University, as well as the ecological and holistic vision and education of the youth, in a spirit of tolerance of the Postmodern University.

The paradigm of the university of the future should encompass three significant elements, i.e. the mission of a contemporary academic school, the conditions in which it is functioning and the rules it should follow. The paper indicates that, though destined to an ongoing change, the mission of universities for centuries has featured the same components, namely intellectual and ethical education of the youth and scientific research. The contemporary university should act as “the eyes of the world” that perceive its main problems and provide guidance in solving them.

The contemporary university must duly take into account the external conditions, namely globalisation, multiculturalism, ecological threats, rapid communications and technological progress, a growth of negative social phenomena such crime, moral degradation and terrorism; a growing infl uence of the media on life of societies, anti-intellectualism, relativism and radical individualism triggered by the Post-modem era. The rules that a contemporary academic school should act in accordance with are given as follows: a quest for the highest standards in didactics, research and other activities; full freedom of scientifi c research; a focus on discovering the truth and sharing it with others; ethical responsibility of scholars and university professors; the spirit of duty in education; forming amicable and stable academic communities; partnership in cooperation with other scholars and universities; aiming at the integration of Christian knowledge and faith.

The paper ends with a citation from Pope John Paul’s II. address to the chancellors of all Polish academic schools in 1997, in which he stressed the role of ethical sensitivity of scholars today, owing to which the bond may be maintained both between the True and the Good and the freedom of scientific research and ethical responsibility for its outcomes.

This article, focused principally on the exploration of contingency, the body and disgust in Michał Witkowski’s novel Margot, is also a polemic and a vindication of the book against the barrage of criticism it received from its reviewers. Most of them decided that Margot was a novel about nothing, a haphazard mix of sundry discourses devoid of any linear structure. In fact, several critics blamed the author of giving away both the narrative structure and the plot to capricious contingency. The article takes a fi rm stance against such charges and argues that contingency does not need to be seen as a fault at all. It lies at the heart of the novel and determines the actions of characters, but it plays as important a role in people’s lives outside fi ction. Analysing the ups and down of the main characters (Margot and Wadek Mandarynka), the article explains the function of emotions, the body, the characters’ language and their ideas of sacrum in the legitimization of contingency. A special role in this mechanism is played by disgust. Reactions of disgust are always contingent, or, as Julia Kristeva puts it the abject has the power to terrorize the subject to such extent that he can do nothing but to succumb to contingency. In working out the idea of the contingency of selfhood, the article also draws on Richard Rorty’s approach, and in particular his concept of ironism. The latter is used to classify the main character of Witkowski’s book as a consummate ironist, i.e. a person who tests different languages in which the world can be described in order to pursue his carnal desires. Finally, the article argues that in his novel Witkowski not only brings to light the fortuitous character of the postmodern identity but also creates a heterogeneous language to express it.