Zygmunt Wojciechowski (1900–1955) was a historian of law at the University of Poznan. A student of one of the greatest Polish historians – Oswald Balzer – he was a medievalist, heavily involved in politics both in the times of Second Republic and the beginning of the Polish People’s Republic. His works comprised of content of cognitive qualities, but was always strongly coloured with politics. He was the creator of the theory of native Polish lands, located between Odra, Warta and Vistula Rivers. He is looking at history through the prism of Polish-German relations and he critically evaluates the history of the state, which moved away from traditional Polish settlement areas and led a disastrous policy of expansion to the East, which brought its fall and partitions. Wojciechowski welcomed the return of Poland to the western lands (recovered) in 1945, as a compensation of wrongs suffered in the struggle against Germany. The literature on works of Wojciechowski is controversial and requires recognition in a new synthetic book, which is the main thesis of this study

Specificity of political science research in Poland

The aim of the article is to examine whether and what are the characteristics of political science research and reflection conducted in Poland. To achieve this, two dimensions of specificity were distinguished, namely disciplinary specificity (features that distinguish political science from other disciplines, especially those within the social sciences) and local specificity (characteristic features of Polish political science compared to the discipline practiced in other countries, particularly Anglo-Saxon). The specificity of Polish political science was then analysed in four fundamental areas that determine the discipline’s identity: 1) the subject of research, 2) research methods, 3) subdisciplinary structure, and 4) structure of theories functioning within the discipline.

Where do you publish, political scientist? The impact of the reform of research assessment in Poland on the international impact of Polish political science

The article aims to diagnose how Polish political science is internationally recognized, and how this recognition has changed during the last period of research evaluation (2017–2021). For this purpose, several quantitative indicators from the 2013–2016 and 2017–2021 evaluations were analyzed: the number of publications, place of publication, the impact of both the journal and the article. The hypotheses assume that in 2017–2021, the numerical output of Polish political science works indexed in international databases increased significantly. Still, when it comes to the impact of the Polish academy on global political science, it remains weak. The data provided in the SciVal program was used for the analysis. Articles were selected from the Scopus database, specifically from the “Politics & International Studies” collection. The results of the conducted research confirm the assumptions formulated in the hypotheses.

Last decade brought further increase in popularity and outreach of Pentecostal pastors-evangelists and the expansion of new mega-churches in Sub-Saharan Africa. Media savvy and marketing-skilled charismatic “holy men” perform multiple functions, including that of political actors, increasingly influential, and indispensable in the election cycles of multiple African states, most notably Anglophone ones. Recognising the pivotal role of Pentecostal constituencies, political players, such as candidates in presidential elections seek mega-church leaders’ blessings or a favourable political prophecy. State officials reciprocate with adopting policies which resonate with their message. This mutual relationship and mainstreaming of Pentecostal discourse affects the overall political culture of young, African democracies. As the new brand of Pentecostalism grows on economic deprivation and disillusionment with the state, it also begins to foster, not just metaphorically, an alternative order and set of values. This comes with religiously driven perceptions of pastors’ powers, which makes them seem potentially more effective and legitimate than secular, democratic leaders, and state institutions. Thanks to those credentials, as well as their widely developed networks, influential pastors begin to make inroads into African foreign policymaking. The process of officialising Pentecostal actors as quasi-diplomats as well as absorbing their ideas and modus operandi into the foreign policy arena seem to contradict advancement of professionalism and transparency in diplomacy as functions of state capabilities. However, in some contexts, growth of their powers and outreach may work in favour of increasing African agency.