Already during Saturday evening with continuation at the next (last) morning, a reflection process started.
Ideas for new symposia/“conferences”
* rhizomatic thinking: heterogeneity in people (how to include interdisciplinarity?), in topics (talk about something that is NOT in your research field), in methods
* Illich: action oriented learning also for theoretical content
* everybody is teacher and student
* finding topics from motivation not from any curriculum
Opinions
Florian: This weekend was way above any expectation that I had before. In saturday evening I felt at the same time that I had a super exhausting day that filled my head so much that it gonna take some days to relieve it, but also that I had a super relaxing day with smooth conversation and a lot of activity that made me really calm. Some inspirations that were triggered:
The rhizome idea is just incredible, it summarizes so many intuitions and observations from me that it is nearly spooky. I really think that there is a LOT of potential! First ideas: at the moment I am working on my master thesis which as about QED. This is a very good example for a topic that is not approachable through a tree but by a mapping; there is no theory that describes QED in a complete sense. Maybe this way of thinking can be applied here!
The example of André really inspired me to think my own situation bigger. During our way home Willi and I were already talking about perspectives to have a joint place together that could be office, workshop, project space and maybe even a place to live. It would be a perfect place to investigate forms of interdisciplinary working, alternatives to current institutions, new forms of get-togethers and generally a forum where people can meet.
I am so happy to have found people had faced similiar problems as I in their life and to see that it is possible to do something.
I feel like having entered a a whole new world of possibilities and fresh mind set!
Markus: I am very happy that this first rather spontaneous meeting turned out to be so inspiring and exciting. The people that participated where just amazing and we were able to create a very special, friendly atmosphere. It was like three days of non-stop discussions but always had the feeling of a holiday as well. That topics discussed are very suitable to be developed further in forthcoming meetings. My main intention to organise this meeting was to let it serve as a laboratory and a blueprint for unconventional meetings. So I will put down some points as a guideline for further happenings of this kind:
A small meeting of 5-15 persons is ideal for such a setting.
Use unconventional settings and places, outsinde of university seminar rooms etc., this helped us a lot in thinking freely.
Use your surroundings in any way possible; in our case we went to the nearby lake or the garden party just accross the street.
Include random people that happen to be there and give valuable input. Tobias and Michaw where not signed up in any way but they could contribute just as much. Plus for a second meeting in leipzig we would have the possibility to include Sebastian (philosopher, it was his room we met and slept in) and Joanna (Markus' friend, could talk about nonviolent communication).
Do not be afraid to talk about very personal stuff (like André's experiences).
Prepare some topics and material but do not fix a schedule.
Write things up as quick as possible.
Do not orient yourself towards traditional formats for scientific meetings, do it outside-the-box.
Simply 'do it yourself' is as many ways as possible.