The subject-matter of my consideration covers chosen films about social inequalities and the resulting unrest in various parts of the world at the turn of the second and third decade of the 21st century. Film characters deprived of education, work, medical care and a dignified place to live have no hope of improving their existence. Growing frustration leads to aggression, breaking the law, brutal violence as well as riots and street fights. The purpose of this article is to reflect on the issues raised in film discourses and to try to find answers to questions about the causes and factors that cause social unrest. The category of human dignity was used to analysis the studied issues.

Tezą artykułu jest twierdzenie, iż obecna sytuacja kryzysowa w obszarze zdrowia publicznego nie musi oznaczać analogicznego kryzysu w sferze gospodarczej, czyli kapitalizmu neoliberalnego. Zakładamy, że obecna sytuacja, jaką stanowią warunki pandemiczne, współgra z gospodarką kapitalistyczną, wskutek czego system ten jawi się jako stabilny i efektywny jednocześnie. W naszym artykule prezentujemy dialektyczny ogląd ideologicznych aspektów pandemicznej rzeczywistości, który koreluje z twierdzeniem o uspołecznieniu kosztów i prywatyzacji zysków procesów ekonomiczno-politycznych.

This research paper explores the impact of sociological perspectives on the relationship between natural resources and conflicts. From these theoretical perspectives, many fundamental sources of conflict over natural resources are identified and defined. This research takes the approach of a case study in which the researchers investigate and analyze the sources of conflict happening in the Darfur region of Sudan. This case study explores the demographic changes, economic development, and social inequality among some factors contributing to conflict over resources in this region. The research findings demonstrated that various factors play a vital role in the availability of natural resources, which is the main reason sides other reasons flaring conflict in the Darfur region in Sudan. These factors are related to climate change, destruction of ecosystems, immigration, demographic change, and political changes. Even though various factors could impact the conflict of resources in the Darfur region in Sudan, these researchers focused in this research paper on the sociological perspective only.

This text should be perceived as an review article in which the content of the monograph Social Inequalities in Access to Education… by Richard Borowicz allows for the presentation of his heritage which is leftfor the next generation of sociologists and educators. The text therefore exposes the approach to the profession of sociologist which was characteristic of Ryszard Borowicz, his scientific workshop and inspirations that we may draw from in relation to how to analyze the surrounding reality, how to communicate what we have determined, how to make methodological choices and, within them, choose the methods. At the same time, the text presents the continuity of the research into sociology of education in Poland, preserved also thanks to the research by the Author of the book discussed here. What is worth emphasizing is the diagnosis and assessment of the Polish transformation at the beginning of the twenty-first century in the context of young people’s educational fates (and their determinants), which is dominant in the monograph. The essence of Ryszard Borowicz’s research interests is the study on school selections. Therefore, the text contains an attempt at analyzing the findings in the book Social Inequality… relating to the mechanisms of selection in the educational system, including the analysis of the relevance of specific content, links with the findings by other researchers, and most of all, with the Author himself – his beliefs, motivations, and attitudes, which distinguished him in the scientific community.

The purpose of this article is an attempt to show the development of Polish social work based on the works of Prof. Ryszard Borowicz. In the text were subjected to scientific reflections definitions and the main categories of research described by the author, which may be a starting point for the development of the theory and practice of social work (human dignity, work, equality and social justice, the auto-selection). The author devotes attention to questions of education and social work tasks facing contemporary social work. Text analysis R. Borowicz has allowed many findings. The main thing is that social work is transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary science that combines the traditions of different disciplines (especially sociology, pedagogy, social policy), the creation of social theory and practice should benefit from the experience of the world, but without forgetting the native and most importantly you need think about the future, and not focus on the present, because there will be more social problems and new needs that challenge for social work. Notably, many of the issues raised by the researcher is still valid and therefore worth reaching for his works and re-discover them.

The author discusses problems that hinder the formation of modern, information-based society and educational reform it requires. The reform in education must be oriented towards implementing a drive for lifelong education and preparing young people for living in a society based on knowledge and free-market economy, but also - in the world of chaos of values and axiological emptiness, where they will have to bear responsibility for their own complete development. Activities undertaken by European and Polish authorities in order to aid the educational reform are also discussed.

Decision making in terms of grading and evaluating students significantly contributes to unequal opportunities. In Switzerland, this is particularly true for the transition from elementary school to the stratified system of secondary schools, which oft en is determined by school authorities. Based on the case study of an elementary school in German-speaking Switzerland, this contribution explores accounts in which these decisions are related. Two types of accounts have to be taken into consideration. The first type refers to a student’s performance. This type of account is documented in a rather technical way. It aims to strengthen the procedural rationality of the decision-making process. Another type of accounts is based on material considerations. It refers to the effects of decisions on individual cases. This type of account is communicated to parents in order to achieve consent concerning a recommendation about which type of school a student should attend. The case illustrates that discriminatory decision making can be related to highly institutionalized accounts.