What about this ethnocentrism? An essay on the margins of Jerzy Nikitorowicz’s thinking

The history of national and ethnic minorities in Poland is a story about how they constantly have to create space for their existence and coexistence in Polishness. During the Second Polish Republic, nationalist and liberalist tendencies clashed in public space. The authorities of the Polish People’s Republic saw minorities merely as folk varieties of Polish culture. This had one goal: to create a homogeneous state. The 2005 Act on National, Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages confirmed Poland’s multiculturalism. Work on the act coincided with the development of views on ethnicity and ethnocentrism in Jerzy Nikitorowicz’s thinking. Today, many representatives of minority groups postulate the need to amend the 2005 Act. The aim of the article is to reconstruct Jerzy Nikitorowicz’s thinking about “ethnicity” and “ethnocentrism”, because his scientific reflection well explains the socio-cultural nature of both phenomena. The article is composed of three parts. The first part is a reconstruction of the concept of “ethnicity”. The second is a reconstruction of the cultural pattern of “ethnocentrism”. The third is an attempt at reflection resulting from the application of Jerzy Nikitorowicz’s views in the process of understanding today’s dynamics of political activities/emancipatory struggles of minorities in Poland.

Community and individualism in constructing one’s own identity

The presented text falls within the perspective of narrative research, the development of which is a consequence of the linguistic breakthrough in social sciences. For this reason, the presented article begins with a brief description of the essence of this breakthrough. I consider narrativity and narration as a linguistic (and thus characteristic of a linguistic breakthrough) way of being in the world, a way of constructing the social world and a type of identity of a contemporary human. The subject of critical reflection in the presented text will be the story of the heroine of the Oscar-winning film by Paweł Pawlikowski, titled “Ida”. Considering this story as a case study, I will show the importance of community and individualism and the tensions between these categories of memory and oblivion in working on my own identity (i.e. the way to myself).

Migration as an “independent variable” of intercultural cognition. Challenges for the contemporary teacher

This article is aimed to look at ‘migration’ as a complex social category to support teachers in their preparation for working with students of diverse cultural backgrounds. In all likelihood, the national composition of Polish school will change significantly shortly. Students with complex and non-obvious immigrant experiences will dominate in the first stage. Like an “independent variable”, they will condition the course of social relations, including school relations. Supporting each teacher in extensive preparation for responsible work with students with different cultural experiences becomes a professional necessity and a (self-) educational challenge. As a first step, teachers should, therefore, become familiar with the typology of migration. This knowledge will make it easier for them to determine with whom they are working, i.e. with which baggage of cultural, identity, and migration experiences the other Person comes to them. Secondly, the practical preparation of educators should include intercultural education content to realistically respond to emerging expectations (of students and parents) and the resulting changes and even difficulties. Thirdly, the teacher should understand that, especially, mass immigration is associated with the emergence of overlapping identities, attitudes (including resentment) and the hybridisation of social life. Anticipatory education for a common and promising European future requires the courageous formulation of questions and the search for ways to solve them. For the time being, however, there is a perceptible gap in the intercultural preparation of teachers. It should be reduced as soon as possible because a new society is forming. Its formation should be responsible and accepted by the parties to this process, i.e., the contribution of the educational processes should be crucial.

On the problems of identity formation in adolescence – the borderlines of conceptualizing self-knowledge in the face of crisis

The issue of identity formation during adolescence requires consideration of multiple theoretical perspectives and socio-cultural contexts. Identity, being a dynamic process, is analyzed from the viewpoints of humanistic psychology, cognitive psychology, sociology, and cultural anthropology. In this paper, an analysis of contemporary conditions of this process has been undertaken, with a particular focus on risk factors and development determinants. The authors of this text emphasize the significance of early experiences as an identity matrix influencing later mechanisms of integration during adolescence. Referring to E.H. Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, identity crises are presented as natural phenomena that, under certain conditions, can lead to either integration or disintegration of personality. In this context, the difficulties faced by young people in the process of self-creation of the “Self” are highlighted, especially in the face of specific risk factors. Given that experiencing a crisis can be both an opportunity and a threat to development, depending on the support and resources of the individual, the need for prevention and education in counteracting risky behaviors and supporting healthy psychosocial development of youth is emphasized.

„A capital marriage” – about the potential of mixed marriages in the context of the theory of social and cultural capital

The leading subject matter of this study is the theory of social and cultural capital in the context of the functioning of mixed marriages and multicultural families that they constitute. Two parts are distinguished in my study. In the first one, the theoretical foundations are described of the introduced concepts of capital – the theories of P. Bourdieu, J. S. Coleman, R. Putnam and F. Fukuyama are referred to. In the second part, selected threads are discussed of the research into mixed marriages in relation to the theory of social and cultural capital. The study is aimed at indicating the importance of social and cultural capital rooted in the realities of family life on the example of mixed marriages and their families. The application of the theory of social capital helps to explain the phenomena occurring in social life. The presented study is an attempt to distinguish the elements that build intra-family capital, which translates into shaping intra-family relationships and influencing the external environment. Due attention was also paid to the issues of language and communication within and outside the family, as well as contacts with religion, tradition and customs in the situation of daily experience of diversity by members of multicultural marriages and families.

I dwell here and live but they didn’t teach me about this. On problems of local and regional education in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship

In the paper the problem of improper functioning is undertaken of local and regional education in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. The issue emerges from interviews conducted with museum staff members, culture animators, and residents of some municipalities during three research projects in years 2015–2022. The starting point for the discussion is the assumption that local cultural heritage is a valuable resource that, if properly used, can foster local development, while omitting it in educational practices weakens the potential of local communities. On the basis on the analysis of in-depth interviews and focus groups, the factors underlying the weakness of local and regional education in the voivodeship are distinguished: historical (complicated past) and contemporary, which include neglecting the education system, permanent underfunding of cultural institutions, but also difficulties related to intergenerational transfer and negative demographic trends. I present regional education as an element that potentially strengthens the integration of local communities and economic development: knowledge about the past improves the processing of heritage into resources used in the arena of territorial marketing. I also attempt to demonstrate that the fragmented past of the voivodeship, which as a result of an administrative decision has merged historically different areas and traditions, can be a potential that, by combining regional and multicultural education, can be a value used in sustainable development processes.

The New Silesia project and its implications for identity

The issues presented in this article are a continuation of previously published research results on the socio-cultural implications of the „construction” of the New Silesia during the period of state socialism. In the process of building the flagship industrial centres of Upper Silesia, recruitment policies and propagandaeducation and manipulation activities aimed at recruiting a multitude of workers played a key role. The emerging agglomerations have become a kind of isolated space – a new socialist world for the new man. The presented empirical material, analyses and interpretations reveal the situational context for the emerging identity of the New Silesians. The discursive analysis made it possible to identify identity processes in terms of identity deconstruction and the production of a homogeneous (simple) identity. The deconstruction of identity was the result of educational procedures, which I recognised – following Michael Foucault – as procedures of discipline. The theoretical construct with which I interpreted the identity condition of the participants in the study is Jozef Tischner’s concept of ‘sheltered people’.

The adoption of new research paradigms in the development of tools and methods for working with children in a multicultural environment

W artykule przeanalizowano działania prowadzone przez badaczy i badaczki w ramach międzynarodowego projektu „NEW ABC – Networking the Educational Worlds: Across Boundaries for Community Building”, realizowanego w unijnym programie badań i innowacji Horyzont 2020. Projekt ten charakteryzowała innowacyjna metodologia, łącząca aspekty badawcze i integracyjne, wykorzystująca paradygmat Participatory Action Research (PAR), współtworzenia, a także holistyczne podejście do dziecka („whole child approach”), podejście oddolne oraz zaopiekowania i empatii. Warto podkreślić, że aktywizujące metody związane z pedagogiką przygody oraz teorią zakotwiczenia w środowisku lokalnym były kluczowymi elementami projektu, pomagającymi dzieciom polskim oraz tym z doświadczeniem migracji realizować stworzone przez nich projekty społeczne. Animowane przez pary nauczycielsko-asystenckie dzieci używały do tworzenia zajęć specjalnego spacerownika miejskiego umożliwiającego im zakorzenienie się w lokalnej kulturze oraz dziedzictwie miejsca zamieszkania. Artykuł szczegółowo omawia, w jaki sposób zastosowane metody skutecznie przyczyniły się do realizacji założonych celów projektu, podkreślając ich istotną rolę we wspieraniu wszechstronnego rozwoju dzieci w międzykulturowym środowisku edukacyjnym.

Functions of the discursive construction of Others/Strangers in selected cabaret sketches

The aim of the study is to identify and describe the function of the discursive construction of Others/Strangers (hereinafter: O/S) in selected cabaret sketches. The data collection method was searching sources. The analytical material consisted of seven sketches from Polish cabarets, selected systematically using the following criteria: time of publication, popularity and topic. Critical Discourse Analysis in the approach of Ruth Wodak and Martin Reisigl was used for the analysis, looking for the application of discursive strategies (naming, adjudicating, arguing, perspectiveizing, strengthening and toning), which allowed for the reconstruction of the discourses used in the studied sketches and then determining the scope of the functions of discursive construction of O/S. The results of the analyses show that in the studied sketches, the discursive construction of O/S is carried out within the framework of the main perspectives: the discourse of representatives of the Other, the discriminatory discourse and the supporting discourse, and fulfills three main functions: ludic, critical-reflective and integrative. The scope of individual functions (especially the critical and reflective function) is varied – more or less unambiguous (from clearly stigmatizing discrimination, through balancing between breaking and strengthening stereotypes, to criticism of both discriminatory and supportive discourse).

Integration of Polish migrants in Thuringia and the phenomenon of “casual interactions”

The article presents the results of qualitative research on the migration of Poles to Germany to the state of Thuringia. One of the goals of the research conducted in 2023 was to learn about the ways in which migrants build relationships with the local community, their contribution to social and cultural integration, and the main barriers that appeared in the integration processes. The author conducted free, focused interviews, which were subjected to qualitative analysis. The surveyed people demonstrated a particular approach to the process of social and cultural integration. The analysis of the respondents statements shows the importance of the phenomenon of casual interactions, which concerns everyday conversations, interactions in specific social contexts or non-committal, polite responses to the inhabitants of the host country. The author points out that although casual interactions are not intended to be permanent, in the form of short, unfocused conversations they create opportunities to learn the language, adapt social and cultural elements or internalize norms, which creates achievable effects in the form of social and career advancement and properly ongoing integration processes.

Children – Polish migrants in Hesse: the educational context. Research report

The article covers the educational context of the functioning of Polish children in the conditions of migration on the example of Hesse and is a message from the research. It takes into account selected socio-cultural aspects and analyses of statistical data from Hessian government institutions with the use of literature on the subject. It is an attempt to show the situation of the Polish diaspora in Hesse, with particular emphasis on the education of Polish children in German public schools, their extracurricular learning and cultural adaptation. The text contains methodological and demographic notes showing the migration background. The content pertains to Poles in Hesse compared to other populations, taking into account the demographic structure and age categories, including school-age children. The part of the article concerning the school education of Polish children in Hesse contains a presentation of the school system in Hesse and its legal basis, as well as the theoretical context of the functioning of foreign students in Germany. It includes research conducted in Germany on cultural socialization and the source of cultural identity of students representing national minorities in German schools. The school education of Polish children in Hesse is complemented by the characteristics of extracurricular education, including Polish schools (weekend forms) and Catholic Missions in Hesse, as well as the activities of the Deutsches-Polen Institut. The whole ends with conclusions.

Tolerance in the opinion of pedagogy students – building openness and acceptance in the educational environment

Tolerance is the foundation of a society based on mutual respect and understanding. It is of vital importance in the communication of people and the search for intercultural dialogue. The importance of the category of tolerance becomes crucial in education, as it reflects the values that should guide it. The article shows the results of a study of understanding the concept of tolerance and the behavior of students of pedagogy, who now, in the course of rapid social, political, economic and educational changes, meet people of a different religion, culture, nationality. The opinions are presented of the respondents on the importance of tolerance in academia, especially in the training of future teachers and the development of their professional attitudes, taking into account the role of education as a process that provides an opportunity to change inappropriate beliefs and behavior. Some recommendations are formulated for education in the spirit of tolerance, which should be permanently included in the tasks of modern pedagogy and school. It is emphasized that in every educational activity, being guided by the idea of tolerance enables systematic interaction and communication and creates an opportunity to systematically open up to other people and their views.

Identity and attitudes of academic youth – a Polish-Czech comparative study

The article is a report on comparative studies carried out in the PolishCzech borderland in 2022–2023 among pedagogy students of Polish and Czech universities. The research was placed in the objectivist paradigm and the survey method was applied. The study was aimed at determining the sense of identity of young people, at learning about values, attitudes towards other nations and types of intergroup interactions taking place in the borderland. In order to check whether there are statistically significant differences between the groups in the responses to individual questions, the Mann-Whitney U test was used. In the context of the obtained results, it can be concluded that academic youth from the Polish and Czech parts of the borderland attribute significant importance to belonging to one biological species inhabiting the earth (no statistically significant differences between groups). Polish youth are similar to their peers living in the Czech Republic. The similarities pertain to identification in the system: person – gender – nationality, to positive attitude towards other nations and to values. There are statistically significant differences between the two cohorts in their attitudes towards individual nations and in their assessment of the types of social interactions occurring in the borderland. The specificity and differences have their sources in the sociocultural, political and economic situation of the country in which the young live and in the educational system to which they have been subjected. The future is a never-ending project that is constantly changing. Borderland research is the analysis of contexts in which the construction of the vision and the use of the realities of the existing social space take place. Research on academic youth provides information not only about its condition and the image of contemporary borderland, but also about its desired shape.

Transpedagogy or student-professor discourse on transculturality

This article is the germ of the concept of transcultural pedagogy based on reflections of female pedagogy students at [author’s] University related to the lecture “Introduction to transcultural pedagogy”. This lecture was given in the academic years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 by the author of the text; it was probably the first lecture in Poland dedicated entirely to the application of the idea of transculturality into pedagogy. In principle, it was attended by second-year female students of the following master’s degree courses: Pre-school and Early School Education and Special Needs Education (additionally, a few fourth-year female students of Pre-school and Early School Education took part in the course on an optional basis). At the end of the course, the students produced essays on their perception of transcultural pedagogy. They gave written permission to make use of their work for scientific analysis, being aware that their perspective would be presented as a voice in the discussion on transcultural pedagogy in Poland, to which Jerzy Nikitorowicz and Marta Guziuk-Tkacz (2021) invited. This analysis is a qualitative study. It employs elements of grounded theory methodology (Charmaz, 2009) in the way that categories and subcategories were generated from the analysis of student papers. The qualitative data analysis software QDAMiner Version 5.0.12 with an individual licence was used to generate categories and subcategories.

Toruń’s heritage of regional research. Review article of the book: Region as shared responsibility, edited by Joanna Cukras-Stelągowska and Agnieszka Wałęga

The (un)exploited potential of new media in dialogue and cooperation in the cultural space in the Polish-Czech borderland in the Cieszyn Silesia region. Review article of the book by Paulina Żmijowska: New media in intercultural social communication in the Polish-Czech borderland

Laudation on the occasion of the awarding and ceremonial presentation of the Juliusz Ligoń Silesian Award to Professor Zenon Jasiński. Upper Silesian Pantheon in Katowice, February 29, 2024

Report from the Congress of Rhetoric: Rhetoric – Education – Innovation. Warsaw, April 17–19, 2024

International Scientific Conference: Pedagogy in relation to the values and norms of social order: ideas – discourses – research. A report from the conference accompanying the ceremony of awarding the honorary doctorate of the University of Silesia in Katowice to Professor Jerzy Nikitorowicz. Katowice, June 25–26, 2024