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Aims and Scope

The Polish Political Science Yearbook (PPSY) is an international, open access, and peer-reviewed journal publishing high-standard research on political science, international relations, and public policy. The PPSY serves as a forum for academic scholars and professionals to support the latest analytical and methodological advancements and promote current work in political science and Polish studies.

For full aims and scope please visit section "About the journal"

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Full Aims and Scope

The Polish Political Science Yearbook (PPSY) is an international, open access, and peer-reviewed journal publishing high-standard research on political science, international relations, public policy, and security and legal studies.

The PPSY serves as a forum for academic scholars and professionals to support the latest analytical and methodological advancements and promote current work in political science and Polish studies.

The PPSY fosters several areas of interest, including:

• Polish and Central European politics,
• international relations and foreign policies
• public policies at central, regional, and local levels.

The PPSY accepts theoretical and empirical research and review papers, conference reports, book reviews, and discussion papers. The journal is open to all methodological approaches and research strategies, including qualitative and quantitative, providing that a utilised methodology is adequate to the studies’ aims and empirical data.

The Editorial Board accepts only the best quality research assessed by leading experts in the field under double-blind peer review policy. Specific information regarding instructions for authors, review policy, ethical principles, and other details are provided in the respective section of the journal’s website.

The journal does not require article processing and editorial charges or printing fees. Authors, other individuals, or institutions may participate in publishing costs but it does not influence the editorial process and content assessment in any way.

All authors are asked for reading the section ‘Submission’ before submitting manuscripts.

Journal Indexing

• American Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies (ABSEES) Online,
• BazHum,
• Central and Eastern European Online Library (CEEOL),
• Central European Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (CEJSH)
• Columbia International Affairs Online,
• Cosmos Impact Factor,
• Directory of Open Access Journals,
• Electronic Journals Library,
• ERIH Plus,
• Gale PowerSearch,
• Google Scholar,
• HeinOnline,
• IBR Online – International Bibliography of Book Reviews of Scholarly Literature on the Humanities and Social Sciences,
• IBZ Online – International Bibliography of Periodical Literature on the Humanities and Social Sciences,
• ICI Journals Master List,
• ICI Journals Master List,
• International Political Science Abstracts,
• Open Academic Journals Index,
• Polska Bibliografia Naukowa (PBN),
• The Lancaster Index,
• EuroPub Index.

Research on relations between art and politics has its tradition. However, it mainly refers to literature, whose part, as far as its authors’ intentions are concerned, is of a political character, in a lesser degree – of a picture. Sound, especially if it is not linked to a text and/or a picture, is considerably more seldom analyzed from the point of view of its importance in politics. As long as a word and a picture happen to convey unequivocal political meaning, qualifi ed as such by most recipients, sound cannot be obviously considered a political message. It is questionable whether music can convey any meaning in whatever sense. If one can manage to suppress this doubt, it will result in a question how to construe the senses conveyed through the medium of melodic – rhythmic structures. However, the findings in the field of widely understood humanities affirm that music serves as a creator’s message directed to both individual and collective receivers. Political science studies often bring up a matter of communication between authorities and the subjects (in authoritarian regimes), and also between representatives of a nation or people claiming their role and electorate (in democratic regimes). At the end of the 1960s, American and Canadian scientists made room for music, one of the most widespread communicators, i. a. in political sphere. At that time, interdisciplinary teams including American sociologists, political scientists, culture and media experts undertook multi – faceted research, focused mainly on popular music.

It is widely recognised, that the status of any scientific discipline is vitally determined by its methodological autonomy. These are theoretical rules on the acquirement of information about a given reality, its definitions, systematization, clarification and interpretation. It is a specific challenge with regards to political science, which stems from the subject of knowledge, the politics. This realm is known to humanity from the onset of structure-shaping and institutionalisation of social life, and since ancient times attempts at its theoretical clarification are being undertaken. It has taken an important place within philosophical thought, historical and legal analysis. This reality led to political science becoming an integrating platform for knowledge from areas of political and social philosophy, law, economy, history. This integration has made cognitive challenges superficial and as a consequence raised such questions as: is political science a scientific discipline? The unfavourable image was revealed as it was included in broad process of political education of society.

In 2010, Barbara Budrich Publishers (Germany) published a book titled Political Science in Central-East Europe. Diversity and Convergence on the development and state of political science in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe. The book is a collection of 19 country reports (Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine), which, collectively, provide the much needed account on the discipline’s institutionalization throughout the region. Individual chapters – written by academic professors or lecturers – include such information as the state of research, teaching, major books and journals, international cooperation, public impact. The chapter on Polish political science was written by professor Teresa Sasinska-Klas, at the time of the publication, the President of the Polish Political Science Association.

In reality of getting stronger infl uence of shaping the cultural and civilization mass-media image, human studies are facing new challenges. It is observed that the mass-media are trying to replace some of the sciences, namely the political science. In the practice of cultural life, we can notice the blurring of the borders between mass-media knowledge and actual science. The media commentary of political life is trying to become a research work. The marginalization of the methodology research in the political science leads to deformation of its own science creation. In the scientific recognition of socio-political reality, the methodology is responsible for creating theories, based on defi ning terms, methodological knowledge ordering, explaining and interpreting the knowledge according to particular rules, models, paradigms, etc.

A distinctive trend developed in 19th and 20th century Europe, which saw the universalisation of principles of state political systems. This tendency expressed itself in proclaiming in the constitutions of individual states and in the practical application by European democracies of the political principles inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment. Over a period of over two centuries, the constitutions of many countries developed with a similar catalogue of principles of government, in a similar legal form. These principles express the same ideas and political values and aim at developing an identical model of government structure based on liberal-democratic ideals. It is characteristic that during the last decade of the 20th century there was a sudden increase in this tendency and the spreading of those principles to over twenty countries.

In this article the author is going to answer the question, that intrigues many researchers of international relations and political science – is it possible to build a grand theory explaining actions and behaviours of political, and international, entities? International relations are distinguished from other disciplines of science by its special character: they are polyarchic, plural, complex and impulsive. Th€is is why we find here, exceptional in contrary to other, more mature disciplines, diversity of opinions and answers to the question – in what way international relations shall be build? Searching for the right answer the researchers of international relations have to cross borders of many disciplines, also using research methods of sociologists, historians, economists, lawyers, psychologists and anthropologists. €There is a similar problem with political science, as the political matter is widely interpreted and, depending on the researcher and the analysed political system, its scope is wide as when using so called largo sense in the totalitarian states, where even the choice of school for a child has a political character or as when using so called strict sense in the democratic systems.

One of the characteristic features of modern world are migrations of people. They are caused either by social or economic and political reasons of respective states and regions of the world. Population processes constitute, at present, a global problem. In the consequence of population’s number fast increase and the irregular economic development of the world, they still remain as an actual research question. An universal regularity of present migratory processes is a decrease of birth rate along with improving the life conditions. The highest birth rate can be observed in the poorest countries. Depopulation tendencies occur, in turn, in economically developed countries. Apart from economic factors, the differences in population increase, are also influenced by social and cultural conditions of a certain region, and the evolution of political system and programs of ruling elite. Greatly diverse is also, so called, the “quality” of contemporary migration. It is presented alike by poor, uneducated people and highly educated specialists from diff erent fi elds of social and economic life.

Legal basis of the electronic publication of law –  reflections on the 5th anniversary of the electronic official journal

Since 2012 all Polish official journals have been published only in electronic (digital) version which means that all published acts must be prepared and signed in electronic (digital) way as well. The article presents the history of law amendments which are legal basis of the adopted reform. During parliamentary procedure on the bill regarding the reform some critical opinions were presented. Author of the article argues with these opinions. Results of implemented reform are analysed in the article – practical aspects but first of all legal ones related with a right to access to law and authenticity and credibility of the published legal acts.

Artykuł przywołuje filozofię władzy Michela Foucaulta i pokazuje, jak może ona zainspirować polską politologię do przyjęcia innego podejścia do badania władzy. Autor wskazuje, jak Foucault analizował historyczne praktyki i techniki władzy „produkujące” podmiotowość i tożsamość jednostek. W takim ujęciu władza nie może być pojmowana jako własność jakiejś konkretnej osoby, grupy ludzi czy instytucji, ale jako pewnego rodzaju strategia działania. Autor ukazuje też, na czym może polegać zainspirowana myślą Michela Foucaulta formuła krytyki akademickiej, stanowiącej etos i określoną postawę badawczą.

O odrębności poszczególnych dyscyplin w ramach nauki decyduje ich specyficzny przedmiot i metody badawcze. Nierzadko spotyka się jednak dyscypliny, których przedmiot badań pokrywa się bądź też jest trudny do rozgraniczenia. Nauka o ludzkim społeczeństwie, jego powstaniu, rozwoju, przekształceniach łączy w sobie wiele względnie samodzielnych, ale także powiązanych ze sobą gałęzi wiedzy. Zjawiska ze sfery polityki z uwagi na swoją wielowymiarowość wykraczają poza ścisłe granice jednej tylko dziedziny. Dlatego też we współczesnym obrazie rozwoju nauk o polityce obserwuje się odchodzenie od tradycyjnych wąskodyscyplinarnych ujęć na rzecz tzw. ujęć integracyjnych, interdyscyplinarnych. Jednym z takich ujęć jest socjologia polityki, która ma “łączyć” badania politologiczne i socjologiczne. Z uwagi na wieloznaczność podmiotową i przedmiotową, a także nieostre granice pomiędzy naukami społecznymi, socjologia polityki należy do dyscyplin niepoddających się łatwym definicjom i uogólnieniom. W artykule autor podjął rozważania dotyczące tożsamości badawczej socjologii polityki oraz nad jej rolą i miejscem w systemie wiedzy o polityce.

Poniższy artykuł stanowi refleksję nad zastosowaniem teoretycznej kategorii symboli politycznych w ujęciu Erica Voegelina do badań politologicznych oraz praktycznych problemów współczesnego prawa i polityki. Oryginalny wkład badawczy tego tekstu stanowi przy tym prześledzenie rozwoju koncepcji symboli politycznych u Voegelina i skupienie się na wczesnych, rzadko opisywanych tekstach tegoż autora. Konkluzją jest obserwacja, iż voegelinowska kategoria symboli politycznych to narzędzie znacznie powiększające nasze możliwości poznawcze i otwierające nowe pola dialogu społecznego. Kategoria ta przezwycięża bowiem nieprzystający już w pełni do współczesnej polityki podział na religie i ideologie, a równocześnie unika problemów charakterystycznych dla myśli politycznej Carla Schmitta i pozwala na bardziej szczegółową analizę niż upraszczające huntingtonowskie pojęcie cywilizacji.

METATHEORETICAL ANALYSIS SHEET REVIEW OF JURNAL INDEXED “ATHENAEUM. POLISH POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDIES”

The objective of article is metatheoretical analysis sheet review, first of all with epistemological and ontological condition, and subsequently methodological issues, that the Reviewer must take into account when assessing and are suitable academic qualifications to the journal indexed. The Review is not only the limitation to the knowledge, but also research and professional qualification.

Artykuł poświęcony jest kategorii post- -prawdy i jej wątpliwemu znaczeniu dla badań politologicznych w ogóle i dla teorii polityki w szczególności. W tekście przedstawiono liczne zastrzeżenia pod adresem koncepcji post-prawdy, przede wszystkim definicyjne i teoretyczne, jak również starano się wykazać, iż koncept post- -prawdy opiera się na rozumowaniu potocznym i nie spełnia kryteriów naukowości, co wyklucza post-prawdę z katalogu kategorii naukowych. Rozważania osadzono w szerszym kontekście teoriopolitycznym i właśnie na potrzeby teorii polityki wyprowadzono odpowiednie wnioski.

Applying external scientific knowledge - i.e. knowledge achieved in the field of disciplines and sub-disciplines related to political science - in fulfiling such methodological functions as explanation and prevision (forecasting) is frequently approached in meta-scientific and meta-theoretical considerations as conducted on the ground of the family of scientific disciplines constituted by the sciences of politics. These functions can be ascribed to the purely epistemological aspect of scientific activity, not its institutional and organizational aspects. The dispute regarding the explanatory autonomy of political science is fallacious. From the logical and methodological point of view, the institutional “affiliation” of object knowledge, which constitutes a premise in complex inferences, does not play a role in the fulfilment of the assumed cognitive tasks; what is important instead is its epistemological credibility, as well as the goals of the research strategy selected by a given scholar.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the public administration mechanisms of electronic petitions (e-petitions), scientific and theoretical justification of recommendations to Ukrainian authorities on their improvement. The paper analyzes the approaches to defining the essence of the concepts of individual and collective e-petitions. The mechanisms of e-appeals (e-petitions) at the national and local levels have been studied. A comparison of the mechanisms of formation and submission of e-petitions in the Ukrainian legislation has been made. It is proposed to improve the interaction of national and local levels by redirecting petitions from local authorities to national executive bodies. The main shortcomings of the existing mechanism of public administration of e-petitions at the national level have been identified. In the process of analyzing the shortcomings of the organizational and legal mechanism, foreign experience and its possibility use in Ukraine were taken into account. Considering the identified shortcomings should further increase the level of civil society involvement in public administration of public affairs and, as a consequence, accelerate the democratization of Ukrainian society and Ukraine as a full member of the European community. In order to assess the level of availability of the electronic individual petitions tool, a study of the official web resources of central and local executive bodies was conducted and ways to improve the practical implementation of the e-petition tool in order to increase its accessibility were identified. The main identified shortcomings are: staffing issues (personnel quality); accessibility and transparency of e-democracy tools for citizens; lack of a unified approach to the implementation of e-appeals (petitions); lack of bottom-up redirection mechanisms; low civil society awareness of public authorities’ responsibilities and powers; lack of mechanisms for imperative execution of e-petitions, etc. Based on the analysis of international experience of implementation of e-appeals (e-petitions), the ways to improve national legislation have been proposed and the recommendations for central authorities, local governments and civil society organizations have been developed to improve the organizational and legal mechanism of public administration of e-democracy tools (electronic individual and collective petitions). The main ones are as follows: amendments to a number of legislative acts, including the conceptual and strategic level; taking into account the imperative implementation of e-petitions; actualization of the issue of administrative and criminal liability for non-compliance with the requirements of the legislation regarding the implementation of e-petitions.

The article discusses transformations of political science studies in Poland in the last two decades. The emphasis is put on the changes that took place in higher education system and in political science itself, as well as on the fact that the number of political science higher education institutions is increasing together with the number of candidates for the studies, political science students and graduates. The condition of political science studies is compared to the condition of other, selected faculties. Data presented in this article shows that political science, as a faculty, recently underwent rapid changes. Fast increase in the number of students in the 90’, as well as in the number of educational institutions at the beginning of the XXI century caused political science to become one of the most popular faculties in Poland. However, in the past few years the total number of students has been decreasing, political science students included. This change is significant enough to have an influence on the condition of educational institutions, many of which face difficulties maintain the faculty. What is important, these changes seem to be independent of the tendency observed in higher education in Poland in general, as well as other faculties.