Adaptation of generations in post-Soviet countries to most radical social changes

The article inquiries into the influence of age on the adaptation to changes among post-Soviet societies. The analysis of secondary data from survey research conducted in representative research samples in post-soviet republics was used in the research. Survey data from Russia (N=992), Belarus (N=1034), Moldova (N=970) and Ukraine (N=1000) was analyzed. The results show that the age facilitates positive adaptation. Younger generations had a higher level of happiness, evaluated their financial situation, their standing in the social hierarchy and prospects for the future better. The highest level of satisfaction with democracy was noted in Belarus and Russia. Lower marks were given by the citizens of Moldova, whereas the biggest disappointment was noticed in Ukraine. The Russians and the Belarusians followed by the Moldovans were located on high positions on the continuum of adaptation to social changes, but the Ukrainians managed to adapt to the system to the lowest degree.

My paper aims to sketch the current condition as well as main challenges of the Polish feminist movement after 1989. It focuses on how gender and women’s issues are approached and conceptualised in Poland today. The paper is enriched by a short outline of history of Polish women struggle for equal rights in especially political and economic dimensions. Importance of commemoration and acknowledgment of history of Polish women struggle is seen as crucial to post-1989 Polish reality in which terms such as democracy, freedom, equality, justice had to be re-invented/re-defined.

Processes of selection of schools have already constituted the object of the Doctoral Dissertation of Professor Ryszard Borowicz, prepared under a scientific supervision of Professor Zbigniew Kwieciński, and also of his numerous books and papers published throughout his whole scientific career. One of the leading concepts applied in the projects carried out by Professor Ryszard Borowicz was the meritocratic concept. Application of that theory in the explanation of phenomena taking place in the contemporary education system has been subject of critical analysis. Besides, the possible directions of studies have been proposed concerning the selection of schools, including the university-level of education. A number of questions have been raised worth answering, especially in face of dynamic transformations taking place in the Polish society that are somehow a consequence of belief in education that was supposed to create stratification mechanisms enabling promotion of positively selected individuals, according to the relation “merit-award”. With consideration for the Professor’s achievements, and for current indicators, some phenomena have been presented that currently exist in the system and are directly related with the problem of selection of schools.

The article presents a specificity of dynamic research based on panel studies. On the basis of chosen examples, including long-term Polish nationwide research, the field of panel studies application as well as difficulties in the implementation of the studies were indicated. The main purpose of this publication was to present some aspects of methodical research tools of panel study projects, that are conducted both by individual researchers and research teams. Basing on examples, panel studies diversified in terms of scope, measurement techniques, sampling and problem assumptions, were presented. The article starts with the research conducted by Ryszard Borowicz at the turn of the sixties and seventies, that includes one typical study cycle of Nicolaus Copernicus University – the research coveres the whole education cycle. Then, the article describes Polish Panel Survey POLPAN research that has been conducted since the end of the eighties. Besides determining individual trajectory of Polish fortunes, the research introduces innovative approach to social structure in a dynamic perspective. The Social Diagnosis panel studies project, of which the first round of studies was held in 2000, was in turn presented in this article with a special emphasis on defining and sampling methods, as well as mechanisms of dealing with the sample’s “mortality”. The last example included in the article, presents the research conducted by Zielonogórski Center (Ośrodek Zielonogórski), in which the panel studies method is particularly applied to the field of pedagogical studies. The comparison of such different projects, in particular studies from the seventies and contemporary studies, allowed to indicate several points differentiating research tools, and in addition, opportunities that are created by using modern technologies in the area of data collection, reaching respondents and dissemination of study results.

The presented paper is focused on the problem of sociallife organization as a source of changes in human behaviour and development. Based on the discussion of literature from the areas of life-span psychology, life-course sociology, and psychology of future-orientation, evidence for the increasing importance of non-normative challenges in human development is presented. Firstly, an overview of changes in social age system in modern society is given to describe the phenomenon of life course deregulation during the late 20th century. Secondly, some of the empirical data on adolescents' life-plans are discussed in a perspective of expected changes in the transition to adulthood of next generations of young people. Regarding adolescents' life planning, it is concluded that young people are aware of changes in the normative structure of life course, and they manifest a long moratorium on entering adulthood, mainly in the area of goals related to family life.