Neuropsychological and neuroimaging evidence convincingly implicates the left cerebral hemisphere in the representation of skilled movements (praxis) in right-handers. Compelling and consistent data on the organization of praxis in left-handed individuals has only recently started to emerge. This new evidence, again both from neuropsychology and neuroimaging, supports the notion that in left-handers the neural substrate of praxis skills is less asymmetric, i.e., it is more bilaterally organized. Up until recently, though, the neuropsychological literature on brain-damaged left-handers was often dominated by descriptions of more or less atypical cases and dissociations of functions observed in such individuals. Associations of deficits, linked to anatomic proximity rather than to a common cerebral specialization, were rarely found worth publishing and/or in-depth discussions. This paper first reviews some of the most relevant and/or well-known reports on representations of different categories of skilled manual gestures in right- and left-handers, with a view to support the idea that these skills are mediated by a common system. Then, based on neuroimaging evidence from healthy subjects, a few individuals with unusual organization of praxis are discussed. These disparate cases quite likely represent natural variation in functional asymmetries. It is yet to be determined whether the effect of a more bilateral organization of cognitive skills in this population is just due to a much higher incidence of atypical representations of functions or rather a general tendency for all left-handers to have their brains less asymmetrically organized.

The article presents a unusual take on the subject of culture not from the point of view its internal, abstract, immeasurable, yet accessible to cognition content, but from the point of view of its vehicles, or artifacts. The author of the text placed language among the most important external manifestations of culture and focused on how the relationship between language and culture works in practice. The article is divided into three parts, each focused on a different aspect of this relationship. The first one presents a series of theories on meaning and the material and immaterial manifestations of culture as discussed in the humanities. The second one is devoted to physical and corporeal meanings of language. The author presents observations in the field of semiotics which were initiated in the classical era and experimentally confirmed in twentieth-century studies. The third part of the article focuses on the issue of meaning as a biological phenomenon. The author deliberates on the meanings in language that stem from the sounds of words, articulation, and their psychological dimension.

The essay deals with Montesquieu’s methodology of history. My crucial assumption is that Montesquieu intends to cultivate history as science. In the 18th century this ambition meant that he wanted to use the analytical method in the field of history. His works include many examples of the successful exploitation of analysis. Since the philosopher does not consider his methods, my aim will be to extract from his works the ideas that stand behind his historical investigations. In other words, I am going to answer how history can be practiced as science (in the Enlightenment sense of this term). First of all, I am going to explain why analysis was – and still is – so efficient in a realm of natural phenomena. My point will be that it indicated to early modern scientist how they should conduct their experiments. On the other hand, experiments give advantage to scientists due to the fact that they are able to construct and control their object. To put it differently: analysis and experiments are efficient because truth and action are convertible. Now, my crucial question is: ‘Are historians capable of gaining advantage over their objects as physicists are?’ Giambattista Vico, for example, agrees. According to him, researchers can comprehend historical events because history is man-made. Some parts of Montesquieu’s works indicate that he shares Vico’s assumptions. Hence, historians are able to scrutinize past factors, and they can perform thought experiments. Such experiments are means for validating and abolishing hypotheses by using counterfactuals.

The purpose of this article is the presentation of the results of the research conducted in Poland on the effectiveness of music education realised in accordance with the assumptions of Edwin Elias Gordon’s Theory of Music Learning, which holds an important place in the existing systems of common music education. Gordon pays attention to the need of undertaking the earliest possible music interactions when it comes to children. Some observations conducted among pregnant women and infants during music activities being realised in accordance with the assumptions of Gordon’s theory showed that infants display some reactions indicating the recognition of the music presented before the birth. They also demonstrated that these children reacted to music earlier than the infants who were not musically stimulated in their prenatal period. The experimental research conducted among children at pre-school age and early-school age proved greater, compared to the traditional methods, effectiveness of the interactions resulting from Gordon’s Theory of Music Learning in the development of their music aptitudes and musical achievements1 . Moreover, they also proved that the stimulation of music aptitudes contributes to the development of children’s perceptive-motor functions especially in the context of developmental shortages compensation. Other research confirmed the validity of E.E. Gordon’s thesis about the existing relation between instrument timbre preference and the achievements in playing them.

The article presents the main issues connected with visual anthropology application in research studies carried out in non-European environment. The text is based on author’s research of the Palestinian society. The main topic of the research was connected with the understanding of safety and danger among Palestinian women. The article presents problems, challenges, and chances of using photo-interviews according to the postcolonial and intersectional contexts in social research.

In our research we are seeking for a Lower Silesian identity, we are especially interested in the Polish-German cultural heritage in social remembrance (or social oblivion). In the article our basic purpose is to provide the grounds for discussion about the presence of the sacred space in social memory (the old German Calvary as a part of contemporary Lubawka’s cultural heritage), using group interviews with visual presentations to stimulate a journey back into the past, to familiarize with the place and its images. We aim at the reconstruction of “social frames of memory”, the moments when the small sacral architecture began to lose its religious mad social power, and we also want to show young residents’ attitudes towards this process. The project also seems to have some social value because it may become an introduction to the debate on preserving the Calvary as an element of local identity.

The undeniable fact is that various social sciences and other disciplines constitute the research perspective which relates to the practice of a multidimensional phenomenon. The welfare state is an excellent example of such notion, which in its nature unifies many theoretical and practical positions. It seems, however, that the economic and political dimensions of the welfare state (as conceptual or pro-social proposals) are disproportionately exposed both on the basis of scientific reflection and pragmatic approaches used by the institutions of the state. This tendency to think in economic and political terms, which incidentally is maintained for several decades, represents: (a) only one side of a complex nature of social welfare, and (b) a significant reductionism, leading to the elimination of sociological, cultural, educational, and psychological consequences of the functioning of the welfare state. This article is designed to reverse the trend of the dominant perception of the construct of the welfare state in economic and political terms, and replace it with the highlight of the mainly sociological dimension of this phenomenon (the welfare state sociology). However, it does not mean abandonment of the economic and political dimensions in general, as they are an integral part of the issue.

The paper sets out to deconstruct two concepts featuring in the title. Firstly, a novel definition of the welfare state based on economic ownership is presented, used then throughout the paper to examine the facts behind the widespread view of the welfare state finding itself in a crisis. Upon scrutiny, it turns out that empirical evidence to support the thesis under investigation is weak at best; neither globalisation nor Europeanization bring about any significant quantitative or qualitative worsening of welfare parameters. In addition, it is imperative not to put all the welfare states into one bag, as they in fact represent a plethora of diverse social-protection regimes.

Looming crisis, public discontent with privatization, and widening inequalities are factors which have historically set the electorate in favour of social democratic welfare policies. Today, however, these concerns rather appear to support new right-wing populist countermovements, even in the traditionally progressive Nordic countries. This article asks why there is not more explicit support of progressive policies, despite the presence of socio-economic factors which would normally favour such a policy shift , at least not just yet. In response to this query, the article first analyses the comparisons between the present crisis and the crisis of the 1930s with regard to alleged political inertia. It then reinterprets the contemporary political consequences of crisis by revisiting three classical social theorists who took pains at analysing the political responses to the economic crisis of the 1930s: Karl Popper, Gunnar Myrdal, and Karl Polanyi. On the basis of this revisitation of these three classics, the article argues that the combined effects of distrust in politics and the persistence of admittedly rolled-back welfare systems mutes the progressive reform potential of the present crisis.

Dozens of thousands Greek children lived in the childtowns in the 1940 and 1950s. Although this experience had profound consequences to their lives, there is to this day no serious study of what exactly was the impact of the childtowns on the children’s values and way of life. I interviewed four children and asked them about the differences between the childtowns and their villages. The key finding is that most children first came in touch with – and chose to accept – a modern and urban way of life in the childtowns. This suggests that despite the objections about the ideological motivations and use of the childtowns, these insitutions had a profound impact on Modern Greek cultural identity.

Migration from the new European Union (EU) Member States to the United Kingdom (UK) has been identified as one of the most significant social phenomena of recent times and Accession 8 (A8) migration to the UK has been studied extensively particularly since 2004. Even though gendered studies of migration are now attaining recognition, there is limited literature in relation to Polish migrant women. What is more, there is now much evidence to support the view that migrant women constitute a large proportion of international migrants. In fact, when considering migration within the European context, migrant women now outnumber their male counterparts. Drawing on a review of secondary literature and preliminary findings from new fieldwork research undertaken in Poland and the UK in 2012, this paper explores how Polish migrant women exercise their rights as EU citizens to better their own and their families’ wellbeing. As the consequence of their newly acquired rights as EU citizens, Polish migrant women appear to be active agents who make use of the resources and opportunities that migration offers. It is concluded that migration within the EU presents positive opportunities for Polish migrant women to actively engage with and exercise national and EU citizenship rights.

Review

Report

This paper describes the concept of the praxial philosophy of musical education by David J. Elliott. Worldwide applications of this concept are becoming increasingly apparent. It challenges the traditionally understood education through art that draws on aesthetic fundamentals. The author makes an explication of the category of competence in the praxial concept of musical education. She is inspired by the idea of the reconstructive cultural competence of a subject proposed by A. Męczkowska.

Close relationships with all members of the market environment are now widely accepted by academics and practitioners as an excellent way of creating a sustainable, competitive advantage. However, views on exactly which activities constitute the essence of market relationships may differ significantly in various cultural contexts. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of Chinese culture on market relationship creation, focusing on specific guanxi networks with closely related indigenous cultural aspects, such as renqing, lian, mianzi, xinren and xinyong, in order to reveal their implications for the functioning of foreign companies in China. An emic approach was predominantly implemented in this analysis, in addition to a polemic on the commonly used assessment methods of culture impact that is based on Western evaluation and bipolar culture dimensions. The information presented is based on research carried out on thirty-eight cases of Polish companies in China that used a semi-structured interview technique with individual managers directly responsible for operations in this market. It is reinforced with a broad literature overview and many years of the author’s direct observations. In addition, some practical recommendations and further research are suggested.

Literature is a social fact and as such it can be one of the ways to interpret social reality. Therefore, the literature published after the year 2000, with reference to sociological studies on young generation, is found to be an interesting source of knowledge on behavior, attitudes and values presented by young Poles. The article as a contribution to the discussion on the role of literature as “the mirror” of social life is limited to young people as observers (the youngest generation of Polish writers) and as the observed (experiences and problems of young Poles at the beginning of the 21st century). Its introductory part deals with the problem of perception of social life from the angle of literature, and refers to the concept of the considered generation in sociological literature. Its main part presents the sketch for the portrait of fictional young Poles, their lifestyle and values based on the literary fiction. At the same time, this artistic image is compared to the existing sociological data. The use of the latter is subject to the problem key applied in the analysis of the selected novels.

The education system and its role in reproducing gender inequality have been discussed in different European countries for over 40 years. The research-based reports from 16 European countries delivered to European Commission within Exchange of Good Practice on Gender Equality forum created a unique opportunity to learn about the main themes, intensity and stages of development of gender and education discourse across Europe. The analysis of the situation in various countries revealed some differences and similarities in the approach to introducing gender in education between post-communist countries and countries with long-time history of gender equality debate. The areas of difference refer to social perception of gender, discrepancy between official legislation and practice, cooperation with educational authorities, textbooks contents and attitude to sexual education. The major similarities concern teachers’ awareness and attitudes, gender gap between boys and girls in scholastic achievements, segregation in vocational choice and feminization of teaching profession. The country overview allows to locate Poland on the map of this European discourse as well as to show inspiring examples coming from the countries far more developed in introducing gender sensitive mechanisms in educational practice.

The present text is an attempt to show the changes taking place in the sub-discipline of sociology of education. The theoretical frame of the discussion includes concepts of Emile Durkheim, Mary Douglas and Stephen Fuchs who emphasize the importance of social conditions for the process of knowledge institutionalization. Analyses carried out in the article aim also at identification of causes of marginalisation of the discussed sub-discipline within sociology as a whole. One of the reasons seems to be identity incohesion resulting from the fact that sociology of education is a shared field of study of both sociology and pedagogy, to mention the two main study contributors.

The authors present a grounded theory concerning teachers’ expectations of students and employers’ expectations of graduates. The analysis is based on empirical research while the interpretation of the results is based on critical theory. Employers’ expectations turned out to be wide-ranging and impossible for candidates. Teachers’ expectations, however, reproduced that part of employers’ expectations that can be linked to conformity, devotion, and faithfulness. In light of the authors’ interpretation, education fails to perform an emancipatory function, i.e. it fails to equip students with the critical competence necessary for active involvement in civil society. The labor market, on the other hand, is a dominating force that blocks the development of a discursive, open version of society. Graduates find themselves in a double-sided trap sprung on them, firstly, by education and later by employers.

This study explores the perception of professional stress and stress coping strategies in a sample of 80 employees at the college. The data was collected by using an inventory of perceived sources of stress and work stress indicator (coping scale). In addition to developing the concept of professional stress, the study had two objectives: to measure the level of professional stress in different categories of staff at the college and to study and analyze stress in Serbia in relation to individual differences (gender, age, marital status, parenthood, number of children, education, class, and working hours). The highest level of stress experienced was by respondents with three or more children, over 50 years old, have a college degree, and professors. Employees younger than 30 years of age, members of the student parliament, employees with a university degree, and the parents of one child experienced the lowest level of stress. As for the relationship between individual differences and stress levels, the results show that there is a relationship between age, marital status, parenting, and the education of the children and how they are experiencing stress. By contrast, gender, class, and working hours are not associated with it. The research integrates a broader set of variables that are prerequisites to a better understanding of demographic and employment factors that lead to professional stress. This should help better understand the proportion of variance of employee satisfaction, performance, and help better cope with it.

The study examined two types of parenting and their relationships with the parents’ involvement in the education of their children. A s mall-scale study1 of one classroom at a urban public school in the Czech Republic suggests that children from families with different backgrounds and different attained education perceive distinct types of parental upbringing styles in relation to their education achievement: the article discusses helicopter and submarine parenting. The main interest is dedicated to helicopter and submarine parenting in their weak and contradictory forms since the research revealed these two forms to be the most prevalent in the studied classroom. As the research data indicates, these two parental models are associated with specific dimensions of emotional capital. The survey revealed that the children of helicopter parents clearly benefit from parental involvement since their parents effectively transform their emotional capital into cultural capital.

The presented study explores the ways in which two events from the history of Poland – the baptism of Mieszko I and the so-called ‘pagan reaction’ – are shown in history textbooks and curricula. Both of these events are treated here as remembrance sites, creating the historical canon, which constitutes one of the pillars of Poles’ memory of the past. The method of public discourse analysis was applied. The analysis of textbooks and curricula showed that while the christening of Poland is presented as an exceptional remembrance site in its history (one of the major events constituting the historical canon), the so-called pagan reaction is a hardly noticeable event. The attitude to the Slavic past, which is characteristic for the analyzed texts, can be placed within the discourse of depreciation, to which the argumentation, linguistic means, and the symbolism have been subordinated.

The study is prepared at the Department of International Information of Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University. The paper describes the healthcare system in Ukraine. The basic legal documents that relate directly to this issue are considered. The main health threats for Ukrainian youth are defined. Some of the social programs and projects related to healthy lifestyle of Ukrainian youth are examined.

Review

Review

Review

Education as the Mirror of Culture

This article is an attempt to answer the question of relationships between culture and education, not only on the level of assumptions and declarations but also in various dimensions of social life and social science. The first issue is the question of the place of education in our country’s development strategies. The author compares two such strategies: one based on the notion of development dependent on financial markets, European Union policies, labour efficiency and Gross Domestic Product (the notion of continuity of the current development path as presented in official documents) and another notion, i.e. that of mental-cultural change. The author analyses the place and role of education in each of these notions of development. The second issue is axiology of education. The major task in this part of the paper is to present tensions and divergences between declared description of educational practices and theories that legitimise them on the one hand and the actually realised axio-normative orientation or other value-based human actions and choices on the other. The third problem is an attempt to show education and school in the process of cultural change. The subject of critical analysis is a dominant educational policy and practice, which is linked to the practically realised notion of the country’s development, and based on requirements of usefulness, effectiveness and applicability. As an illustration of this, the author examines opposition between humanities and technical sciences, which is constructed and maintained in public debate. Plenary speeches from the 2nd Congress of Education that took place in Warsaw in June 2013, are also subject to analysis in relation to this opposition. In conclusions, the author poses the question whether education remains perceived as a cultural practice or it has become yet another tool of production submitted to requirements of the market, economic development and GDP growth.

Creating Economic Culture of Poles as an Element of Socio-Economic Development Strategy

The raised issue relates to the importance of economic culture in the socio-economic development. Indicates that it is a crucial element of human behavior decisive how to participate in the economic life, which gives reason for the need to support development of economic culture through broadly understood education system. Draws attention to the relevance of including it in the development strategies and refers to the matter of economic education in building a pro-development economic culture.

The Role of Early Childhood Experiences in the Shaping of Mental Health

The work concerns the role of childhood experiences in the development of mental health. It is believed that regardless of the emotional relationship and genetic predispositions, appropriately selected stimulants in the environment may also influence the young child’s development. In the first periods of child’s life the experiences gained in family pay as crucial character as the environment where this development takes place. It is emphasized in literature that appropriate intellectual and social development of a child is related with the influence of the external environment as long as it is available and logically designed. In Poland only a few studies concern families with small children – they are usually carried out by sociologists, moreover, there is also very little data on the determinants of the development of children and possible role of these for mental health. It was therefore attempted in this work to describe possible childhood experiences, which may play role in the development of mental health in childhood and adolescence or adulthood.

Art and School Functioning in the Early Grades

Creativeness of children in early school education as well as the means for its stimulation are important issues both for practitioners and theoreticians of early schooling. It can be observed in everyday conversations between teachers of young children, in curriculum requirements and syllabi for the integrated education as well as some academic and quasi-academic works. The reasons for that are, firstly, the growing awareness of the importance of this sphere of children’s development, and secondly, the fact that early school years are particularly important for the child. Ability to think creatively and solve problems determines success in a variety of situations. For this reason is considered to be a desirable feature, worth developing. The article concerns the relationship between creativity and functioning of children in early childhood education; especially between creative attitude and the educational achievement, as well as social relationship. It contains also an analysis of the cognitive components of the creative process and individual determinants of educational attainment and social development of the child. The author also presented the opportunity to develop creative attitudes of pupils in educational practice in classes 1 – 3. Arts, literary and mathematical education is treated here as a special additional tool to support and intensify this process.

Towards Empowerment

The primary goal of this paper is to introduce the concept of empowerment, its sources, definitions and various ways to comprehend it. The author’s professional interest lies in the field of scientific research. But the topic was primarily chosen due to the fact that the concept of empowerment has not only been increasingly recognized and studied by social sciences but also widely applied in everyday life. The concept of empowerment has been utilized in many different contexts. It can be categorized as a scientific phenomenon that in spite of being popular and widely used does not have a uniform definition. Empowerment is not only a theory but also an idea, a model or a research. Empowerment is also both a process and the outcome of a process. It may be understood by any one of the mentioned meanings or all of them together. The paper is based on the assumption that empowerment is a multidimensional concept. There are two important consequences of this assumption. First of all, as already mentioned, the concept does not have one uniform definition (the definition depends on different socio-cultural and political contexts the concept operates in). Second of all, the nature of its many dimensions derives from its many levels. There are three levels of empowerment – individual, organizational and community. The paper postulates that the levels are interconnected and interact. So any change on any level influences the other levels. The levels are connected by mediating structures that are essential to find the answer to the question this paper raises – whether an individual can influence a social change? The deliberations presented in this paper are set in the educational context. The author’s reflections on the social and educational intervention models are also set in that context. The paper concludes with the thesis that the empowerment (resources) model needs to be included in the academic curriculum.

Individuality in the Society as a Proposal of Such a Paradigm in Sociology? Thoughts on Jan Szczepański’s Concept

This paper attempts to provide a critical review of individuality theory as proposed by Polish sociologist Jan Szczepanski. It draws attention to the theoretical and methodological assumptions for showing their incompleteness and the need for further additions. A key thread following text are searching for theoretical roots of individuality within the classical and contemporary sociological theory that could fill some of the gaps and give a chance for more thorough understanding of the issues analyzed, which is individuality. The article highlights the importance taken by Szczepanski attempt to go beyond antinomian description of social reality and the distance the relational model, by emphasizing the role of loneliness in a person’s life.

Informal Conditioning of the Development of the Achievement Accumulation and Transfer System in the Polish Vocational Training and Continuing Education

This paper reports from a qualitative study on informal conditions for the implementation credit transfer system in vocation education and training (VET) in Poland based on European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET). The study was conducted just before the new law of VET (October 1st 2011) came into force. It introduced: (1)new vocational core curriculum which includes 200 school occupations, in which 252 qualifications are distinguished, (2) learning outcomes approach, (3) the examination requirements based on learning outcomes specified for the qualifications, and other tools supporting credit transfer and accumulation. The main purpose of the paper is to analyse the VET stakeholders knowledge, understanding and opinion on these new solutions and general on credit transfer and accumulation concept which aims at supporting development of lifelong learning. On the very general level respondents support all solutions that could improve learners employability and education opportunities. However part of them do not perform in-depth knowledge and reflections on such concepts as learning outcomes approach. They indicate also a number of drawbacks of the VET reform in Poland that is implemented in a hurry without sufficient support for schools, teachers and learners.

Graduates Caught by Crises? Analysis of the Situation Faced by People Finishing Education in Relation to the Transformations on the Labour Market

The article presents analysis and auto-analysis of the chances of the pedagogy students on the labour market. Only students that have finished their education between years 2006 and 2009 were considered. In these years polish labour market was between two financial crises, that could have been visible in unemployment rate, room 2004, very high unemployment rate systematically dropped, until in 2008 it reached the lowest rate since the political transformation. However, global financial crisis that begun in USA, started to affect the situation in Poland and at the beginning of 2009 unemployment started to rise. In addition to this, some global tendencies on labour market appeared, among them, deterioration of the young people situation. Despite, the examined students have finished their studies when the unemployment rate was relatively low, they chances to find dream job was not very optimistic. They have found themselves in a trap between crises, their ambitions and between the market opportunities.

Daily Life and Some Meanings of the Internet. Visual and Conversational Analysis of a Comic Book Fragment Sent to the All-Polish Sociological Competition “Life in the Internet”

In order to answer the research questions, the visual and conversation analyzes of a part of the selected work of art (a cartoon) were carried out and presented. The work was submitted by a student of an upper-secondary school to the Polish Nationwide Sociological Competition „Life on the Internet” organized by the Institute of Sociology of the University of Economy in Bydgoszcz. The competition had been inspired by the similar undertakings carried out in Poznań by Florian Znaniecki in the beginnings of the 20th century. The project bases on the assumption that the social reality is a creation of constant, everyday interactions taking place between its members and the objects to which social meanings were given. The Internet, still remaining in the phase of social construction, is such an object, too, and the source of meanings for it are the complex interactions between the Internet-users. Therefore, it has been assumed that the users direct their actions towards the object basing on the meaning they have for it. The aim of the paper is to reply to the question of what meanings are socially given to the Internet within the everyday (habitual) social interactions via the text (language), the social actions and the images.

“Femina oeconomica”, or the Apotheoretical Presence of Women in Economics

The present study deals with the problem of apparent absence of women from socioeconomic processes as well as from the related theoretical and methodological reflections within the field of economics. The article points to the fact that gender-related ideas as well as their relevance for women’s activity in the public sphere are central to undertaking issues of women participation in economy. It does so from the perspective of such trends of scholarly reflection as feminine economics as well as the more emancipation-oriented and inequality-centred feminist economics.

War of Two Worlds…, or the Relations between the Soldier’s Profession and Family. An Contribution to the Studies

This article attempts to analyze the problems arising at the junction of two social institutions: the army and military families. It shows, in the face of the transformations taking place in the area of family life and in the face of professionalization of the Polish Armed Forces, how complex relationships between these two worlds are created. The article raises the issue of dual loyalty and „greed” of these institutions. A feature that modern family and the army share is the fact that each of these institutions would like to focus the attention and energy of its members and involve them in their actions as much as possible, which would secure their operations. Such a demanding attitude, however, has a negative impact on the performance of social roles outside the institution. The empirical analyses on the topic conclude with the condition and problems of modern military family. They also show how the duties and requirements for the profession of a soldier affect the organization, structure and functions of the family, the course and the rhythm of their life, homely atmosphere, the content and scope of the role played, the manner of satisfying their needs and the lever of the satisfaction. This text is a contribution to further research of the presented issue.

The Unemployed Over the Age of 50 on the Labour Market – Employment Difficulties and Chosen Supportive Actions

The author deals in her article with situation of the unemployed over 50 years of age on labour market. She presents structure of this population and its place in the unemployment as a whole. The article describes occurrence of ageism, i.e. unequal treatment of this group on labour market. Employment rate of this group in Poland is one of the lowest amongst the European Union countries. The author pays attention to progressive demographic changes and the need of opening labour market to people at the age of 50 and more. This is a special group of the unemployed, which should be included in labour force. Stereotypical thinking of employers about fewer abilities of older people compared with group of 24-year-olds, is the lingering myth of Polish society. Long-term labour market policy should eliminate discriminatory actions, encourage employing people in this age group and emphasize the significance of work experience.

Solitude of the Elderly in the Context of Demographic Changes

Year 2012 was declared the European Year of Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity. The eyes of Europe have been directed on an important issue of the problems of the elderly. Old age, which is naturally inscribed in human development, should be filled with satisfaction and joy, is often a phase of loneliness. Loneliness is very difficult for people in old age. Its social, emotional and axionormative dimension may be highlighted. In this work, I emphasize the need to become interested in the elderly, for whom appropriate prevention and intervention strategies should be prepared.

Between Suffering and Happiness – Conference Quintet at the University of Zielona Góra

Cooperation, Responsibility and Autonomy, or the Education Enthusiasts

Liberal Education in the Contemporary Political Thought

The article is devoted to the problem of the place ascribed to liberal education (and most of all to humanities as constituting its essential part) in contemporary political thought. In times when many rightist as well as leftist thinkers diagnose a crisis of liberal democracy and its educational system, displaying much anxiety about the still-lowering level of citizens’ willingness to participate in a public sphere, some of them propose their diagnosis of such situation and postulates of reform aimed at raising the level of citizens’ engagement in democratic life. One of the means to achieving that goal is implementation of the idea of liberal education, which might work in favor of students’ character development, their acquisition of a holistic view of reality, and their consciousness of the fact of overlapping character of relations binding individual and communal wellbeing. The article aims at presenting theoretical ways of defending humanities in face of contemporary restatement of the role of liberal education in Western societies. The course of argument is following: firstly the transition made in XXth century from “liberal education” to “education to liberalism” (resulting in specialization and vocational character of science) will be traced. Then the opinions of critics to such model of education will be shown, focusing on the representatives of three political doctrines: republicanism, communitarianism and liberalism. In case of each of these group of thinkers their characteristic attitude towards humanities, will be displayed.

Dispute over the Utility of the Intelligent Design Theory for Science

According to intelligent design theory, certain biological and cosmic phenomena were designed by an intelligent being, which could be just as well natural and supernatural. This design is to be scientifically detectable in basically similar fashion as in the case of the effects of the purposeful activity of man. However, critics pose an objection that unscientific character of this theory is discernible in that it is not useful for science because it does not inspire new scientific research and thus it is stopping the progress of science. It is claimed that this theory could easily explain any phenomenon, referring to the category of „intelligent design”, and in this case the word „explanation” has ironic overtone. It is indicated also that proponents of intelligent design theory do not publish the results of their research in renowned scientific journals. This objection could be answered in twofold way: methodological and sociological in character. According to the first answer, science does not depend solely on inspiring new research but also on offering a new view of the known facts, and the design conclusion could be made and justified independently of whether it enables to gain knowledge of its maker or method of its accomplishment. The second answer is that development of novel theories is in large degree hampered by the resistance of the defenders of an orthodox theory, and of established understanding of science, who basically do not display tolerance for revolutionary theories. The mechanisms such as the procedure of reviewing of articles or financing of research projects system, controlled by the defenders of status quo, are of great importance in that case. The chances to receive the grants which could facilitate and accelerate the development of a new, going against the status quo theory, as well as to publish articles inspired by this theory in recognized scientific journals are minuscule, and the change of such situation requires the change of the preference pattern in the world of science.

Disputes about the Creative Industry

In the context of the growing importance of the creative industries in the economy and emerging questions about a place of public, cultural, social, economic and innovative policy, an important question appears: what is an essence of the concept of the creative industries? The idea of integration, support and building an identity of the institutions, which activities are based on talented and creative work, has its origins in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is now entering Polish market and arouses interest in policy-makers, academics and practitioners. Still, for many people, the term seems to be vague and arouses a lot of controversy. The article shows the discourse on the creative industries, especially the ongoing debate between: European (mainly British), Australian and American scholars. Furthermore, arguments of critics and defenders of the concept are also presented. The arguments derived from the tradition of the criticism of mass culture which represent the current research on economization of culture are compared in this text. There are three main grounds of the dispute: the definition of the concept, the essence of the concept of a new sector and application in practice. Furthermore, two main phases in the discourse and the pragmatics of the creative industries are also presented: the transition from cultural industries to creative industries and emphasizing the importance of innovation and networking. The study used a critical analysis of the content of not only Polish but also foreign public documents, industry reports and scientific papers. The methodological conclusions drawn from the emergence of a new interdisciplinary research area are also presented. These findings specifically relate to Poland which is entering a crucial phase of policy development in the field of the creative industries. The need for an action is systematized: definitional, classificational and critical analysis of achievements and mistakes of the countries implementing policies to support the sector, as well as the need to adopt it to the local conditions. In the context of relatively limited academic reflection on the issues in Poland, the need of interdisciplinary analysis is also emphasized.

Civil Political Competences

Building and maintaining a high level of citizens’ political competences is the most important challenge of modern democracies. Political competence is not only a testament to the quality of democracy, but also gives hope for the stability of the regime. The subject of the present article are the different dimensions of civic political competence – namely, the axiological, psychological and systemic dimension. This approach to the matter allows to present a comprehensive overview of the phenomenon, analyzed both from the perspective of citizens – their skills, abilities and knowledge which can all be utilized to build and shape socio-political democratic structures, as well as from the point of view of wider social and systemic structures in which an individual operates. The elements named above together form the internal structure of civic political competence, wherein all its dimensions interact dynamically, and change thanks to this very interaction.

Sense of Self-efficacy in Mathematics of Male and Female Students

Women’s underrepresentation in strictly technical fields of study closely linked to mathematics is a universal phenomenon, registered not only in Poland. Conclusions from numerous educational reports are worldwide as well – it is girls who preponderate over boys in math grades at every stage of education. Furthermore, in Polish conditions, the results of external exams are not significantly diversified by gender. Thus, the consequences of different evaluation systems do not explicate the so-called „women gender gap” in terms of women academic and vocational choices. In Poland, for a few years there has been attempts to counteract the prevailing trend through „The Girls for Engineers” programme or systems of scholarships for female students of technical and scientific studies. Such activities are claimed to be legitimate, though still insufficient, because they focus on diminishing the symptoms of the phenomenon, regardless of its exact causes. The explanation proposed in the article refers to the effects of stereotype that „maths is a domain for males”. It has been assumed that such stereotype has an adverse impact on the perception of one’s competences of stigmatized people – i.e. girls. Such facet of analysis has not been adopted in Polish educational research so far. Theoretical background of own research constitute self-efficacy theory by Albert Bandura, which emphasizes cultural context of its formation process. The obtained results indicate that gender is a significant factor contributing to the sense of efficacy formed on the basis of specific achievements in mathematics. It indicates that a typical female student – in relation to similarly assessed typical male student – registers lower trust to her own mathematical competences. Discussion depicted the way in which unfavourable self-perception corresponds to motivation for learning mathematics and consequently to educational choices. The direction for further research has been indicated.

The Role of Cultural Capital in Labour Market Positioning. An Empirical Study

The aim of this paper is to analyse selected conditions of professional achievements of young polish employees with higher education degrees. The number of graduates has raised significantly in the last twenty years and they are employed not only as the professionals, but also on the positions, which do not demand academic qualifications. The author makes the hypothesis that the amount of cultural capital (in Pierre Bourdieu comprehension) has influence on the position on the labour market. On the basis of the qualitative research, there are the premises to acknowledge the influence of cultural capital on professional achievements. The conclusion from the analysis of polish graduates’ biographies is that occupational position of the employees equipped equally in cultural capital in the institutionalized state (diploma) may depend on the competences acquired during socialization process, which refers to the cultural capital in the embodied state. The paper presents a typology of young employed graduates in terms of their work expectations. The typology reveals how the primary socialization and acquired cultural capital influence the young employees’ attitude to their work and career – if they are preservative and focused on safety guarantees, or creative, looking for their professional development and self-fulfillment.

Origin and Methodology of the Study of Educational Plans of Youth from Grudziądz and the Region of Grudziądz

The research was handled by The Action-research in Contemporary Culture and Education – Practice and Theory team, and was commissioned by Rector of Nicolaus Copernicus University. The examination was held in 30 km radius from Grudziądz – the most efficient distance in terms of economics and everyday travels. We’ve found schools in Świecie, Nowe and Łasin in a circle of our interest. The population of examined region is ca. 155 000. An unemployment rate is significantly higher than average (over 29% in a region). Weak educational infrastructure, no industry. Research was conducted from March 20’ to April 18’ 2013 on 2016 students in 18 schools (regular and technical high schools). The main aim of studies was characteristic of a-level and pre-a-level students from Grudziądz and Grudziądz region and their educational plans. We focused especially on plans regarding higher education. All public school students, from all the high schools, were participating in a research. The auditorial survey was a main used method. The questionnaire was divided in 3 parts. The first was general information part, the second was educational plans part. The questionnaire contained also a set of questions to estimate economical, social, and cultural level - according to P. Bourdieu’s theory. The main examination was preluded by pilot examination which allowed us to tune up a research tool and a method.

Aspirations and Educational Plans of High School Students as a School’s Emancipation Success

Aspiration and educational plans constitute one of the most essential components of the process of planning the future. The school, on account of its individual and social meaning, can and should be place and time of the knowledge acquisition, the ability and competence, but of also creating educational situations supporting waking for aspiration and building the courage in conceiving educational plans. Enabling every pupil not only to get the formally authenticated education is an educational success in the emancipation dimension (and hence of getting the pass to higher levels of the education), but also of purchasing and developing convincing about the need the constant work on oneself, abilities needed for overcoming internal restrictions and outside, brave defining and creating oneself and of one’s surroundings. They are these are also tasks which result from basic functions according to Zbigniew Kwieciński’s the school is fulfilling which in the society: reconstruction, adaptive and emancipation. There was analysis of aspiration and educational plans of pupils of secondary schools in order to write the present text (of secondary schools and technicians) in the context of the emancipation dimension of the success of the school. Theoretical and empirical analysis lets for expressing the following conclusions: 1. The majority of the examined young stock is declaring the intention of taking the further learning on completion of secondary school, however in this group deciding more is of disciples of secondary schools than technicians. 2. Young people, standing on the threshold of the maturity and the independent living are dominated so to speak with feeling the objectivity, not whereas subjectivities, of what a tendency dominating among them of seeking of sources the practical success in extrinsic factors is resulting, not whereas in the own knowledge, competence or abilities. 3. They are demonstrating rather a tendency of the full conversion to found reality, than protesting her in any scope and extending beyond dominating outlines of conventional interpretation of reality. In the process it is hard to talk about the success of schools provided with the examination in the emancipation dimension.

“Rich Men” and “Poor Men” – Educational Plans of Youth from Grudziądz and the Region of Grudziądz and Their Symbolic Capital

The title “rich” and “poor” are respondents who took part in the research plans of youth education from Grudziądz and surrounding areas. During the analysis of the data was evaluated their symbolic capital [SC], which is the final instance of equity conversion: cultural, social and economic. It took the values that differ significantly from the average in the study group. In the 31-point scale, “poor” where called people whose measured SC received less than 9 points. The “rich” are people with SC bigger than 19 points. Group accounted for 7.7% and 8.1% of the population (respectively 155 and 164 people). 84.2% of population received in the measurement of SC score between 10-18 points, constituting 29% of the scale. That means that a high similarity of tested people for the measured SC. The data do not reflect the real inequalities that occur in modern society. For the SC test by gender, it was noted outnumbered the “rich” men, due to more frequent than in women taking more lucrative work. With regard to housing, most fell Świecie, where lives most of the capital rich at the same time the least poor capital. Slightly dropped Grudziądz, in which live almost as much “rich” and “poor”, which distracted in the area of small villages. Determined to continue their education was 85.4% “rich” and 65.2% “poor”. With regard to second degree studies, the declarations made 71.4% of the “rich”. 2/3 “poor” could not take such a decision at the time of the study. Nearly 1/4 of the group was not able to identify a particular direction, or university of their future studies. The “poor” often declared a desire to study in the fields to which it is easy to get (tourism, cosmetology, physiotherapy and available in Grudziądz educational sciences). The high ranking law reflects the desires and needs of their social advancement. The “rich” often give direction to ‘prestigious’ and harder subjects (medicine, science, law, and engineering). In both groups, there were no indications of ‘uniform’ subjects, popular in the overall population. Wealthy capital want to get through studies or maintain high social status and prestige occupations. Poorer searching in higher education relative economic security and greater social recognition.

The Phenomenon of Grudziądz. The Case of a City without a Higher Education Facility

The article is an attempt of characteristic – Grudziądz as a specific educational environment - phenomenon. As it was proved, Grudziądz is the biggest (almost 100 000 citizens, #40 in the biggest Polish cities list) city with no own university. This status might be both a cause and a result of other city’s problems. First of all – Grudziądz has the highest unemployment rate among all Polish cities – over 23%. Secondly Grudziądz has less investments than other cities in that region. Moreover, thirdly, there’s an proved opinion, that Grudziądz is unpopulating and is so called “town for a rent”. Situation on a educational market and a general economic and social condition causes in specific choices of young Grudziądzans. 1. They plan higher education more often. 2. They declare different set of majors than young Poles in general. Dominating faculties are: medicine, law, education, economics, architecture. 3. We’re finding a huge different – again in comparison to a general data – in a category of school type. Domination of universities, and no private universities. 4. Major – over 78% – chose regular full time studies. Specific a above mentioned choices indicates conservative and safe approach to youths future. Moreover it proves a responsibility. What’s even more important those date may be related to an information about leaving family home plans – that is why we may call it the accelerated adulthood and independence.

Paweł Rudnicki (rev.): Kazimierz Przyszczypkowski, Polityczność (w) edukacji [Politicality [in] Education], Poznań 2012

Anna Gondek (rev.): Krzysztof Frysztacki, Marcjanna Nóżka, Marta Smagacz-Poziemska, Dzieci ulicy. Studium szczególnego problemu miejskiego [Street Kids. A Study of a Particular Urban Problem], Kraków 2011

Dorota Grabowska: Report from the All-Poland Interdisciplinary Academic Conference “Remembrance Sites in the Awareness of the Contemporary Man”

Anna Sugier-Szerega: Report from the All-Poland Academic Conference ”Religious Identity in the Modernity”

Beyond Ideological Entanglement. The Hidden Agenda in the Contemporary Educational Debate

The purpose of this article is to reconstruct a state of the debate ongoing for over a half of the century on the so-called the hidden program. The different theoretical positions are compared and presented – from those who take the hidden program as a central concept and category, to those denying its presence in social sciences. Contentious issues have been outlined, above all in the views of the nature, sources and results of this phenomenon. Vigorous discussions ongoing in the English literature, often having the ideological roots, are used by the author to present the own perspective of the hidden program as an important educational category, but ignored in Polish science, that may become an inspiration for theorists and practitioners and also may become a tool for diagnosis and critique.

Mathematical Failures of Girls and Members of Ethnic Minorities. Causes, Explanations, and Remedial Measures in the Light of Educational Ideologies

In this article I discuss the question: „What is mathematics really all about?” How mathematics is viewed is significant on many levels, especially in education and society. For many years, sociologists of mathematics education, have stressed that mathematics acts as a gatekeeper: mathematics more than any other subject, has been cast in the role as an ,,objective” judge. The main purpose of this article is to conjoin several sets of problems such as the mathematical underparticipation of women and ethnic minorities , the sense of cultural alienation from mathematics felt by many social groups, mathematics in the process of transmission of social and political values, its role in the unequal distribution of power and the social nature of mathematics as a discipline.

The Directions of Contemporary Debate about Civic Education in Germany in the Context of Deliberations over Model Citizens, Maturity, and Competences

In German concepts of education until the end of World War II was the trend dominant to interpret the notion of „good citizen” through the prism of state and its political characteristics. In the late sixties of the twentieth century one began to challenge this understanding. But it was the political transformation in Central and Eastern Europe, and above all the integration processes in Germany and Europe in the early nineties, which led to a redefinition of the concept of „citizen” and modified the idea of his patterns. That’s when the idea was ultimately rejected the „good citizen” as a guarantor of stability of the political agenda, and the goal of civic education was superior to „civic maturity”. In connection with the change of paradigm, a „citizen” was discovered again (Rückkehr des Bürgers) in the public debate. Defining the essence of the concept of „good citizen”, the German authors began to identify them as „democratic” and started a new discussion complemented the existing conceptualization of the citizen to demand his maturity as the overarching objective of civic education and the need to strengthen its competencies. The aim of the article is to present the key directions of the German debate on civic education in the context of civil practice, as well as the positions of the features characterizing the normative notion of the citizen, which should be its „maturity”. Particularly important for strengthening the cognitive aspect is to enter the foregoing, in the current discourse related to competence as a result of the learning process, but it will be important to draw attention to democratic competence.

Evolutionist Perspective in Empirical Aesthetics. Premises, Traditions, Problems

The article presents the main assumptions, traditions and problems, which make up the evolutionary perspective in studies of human aesthetic taste. Article begins by describing the main assumptions of evolutionary aesthetics and presenting the aesthetic theory of Ellen Dissanayake, which is regarded as the most general approach to this problem. Then the article discusses the natural evolutionary adaptations, distinguished by evolutionary scientists. Evolutionary theory assumes that as a result of development of the human makeup in the course of evolution have developed some universal aesthetic predispositions (e.g. a penchant for of the representations of certain animals or preferring images of a day over images of a night). The final part of the article discusses some difficulties, which evolutionary aesthetics has to face. The objective of this article is to draw attention to social scientists on this research perspective, as in the author’s opinion it can enrich the classical studies based on the paradigm derived from the works of Pierre Bourdieu.

A Cathedral or a Market? Textbook as an Open Source Project

For over twenty years school books have been accompanied by digital resources – once stored on attached CD-ROMs, lately also in the Internet services of publishers. But only since the launch of the program „Cyfrowa szkoła” („Digital School”) conducted by the ministry of education has widespread access to free educational materials become possible. Changing the carrier makes the current model of preparation and sharing the content, which lets the publisher control every step, go out of date. It will most likely be replaced by the model typical for the digital world, where the information wants to be free, accessible instantly, ready for modification and further distribution. In the article the relationship between Ministry of National Education and educational publishers after 1989 has been presented. The stages of the development of the publishing market, as well as their technological and social aspects, enhancing the intensity and the speed of changes, were taken into account. To describe the situation on this market the metaphor of the „cathedral” and the „bazaar”, drawn from Eric Raymond’s text on the open source phenomenon, was used. Acknowledging the „bazaar model” of working on textbooks as the natural consequence of withdrawing from the traditional model makes it necessary to ask questions about the effects of these decisions and especially – the future of textbooks. The significance of the issues analyzed in this paper is proven by the discussions ongoing lately in many countries.

The Limits of Creativity. Discourse of Mary Sue Characters in Fan-Fiction and the Rules of Fan Communities

Some participants of popular culture do not confine themselves to a one-time contact with a favorite book or movie. Instead, they return to fictional worlds, creating literary texts based on original works and sharing these texts with other followers of the same popproducts. A number of these fan-made pieces contain idealized characters whose mentalities tend to be very similar to the personalities of their creators. Such characters, who are known under the name of Mary Sue, frequently become an object of harsh criticism on the readers’ part. The paper presents various forms of so strong a negative reaction and describes its possible causes, basing on the analysis of a discourse created by the users of Mirriel Literary Forum (a message board which attracts people who are interested in amateurs’ literary pieces). The main goal of the paper is to demonstrate how the information obtained in discourse analysis may shed new light on the rules which govern the lives of all kinds of fan communities – most importantly, the rule of staying faithful to the object of one’s passion, that is, to the worlds created by professional authors. Apart from that, the paper demonstrates a concise discussion of the strong and weak points of the method employed.

Stressed-out Youth – Participants of Music Festivals and Stress (Evaluation of the Phenomenon among Teenagers and Young Adults)

Purpose: Stress is inseparable part of life. It is an occurrence which influes on individual life, both on health and family and social aspects. Stress is apply to everyone, independently on age, so important is recognition main stressors and ways of copy with stress, especially on young people, and that was the purpose of questionnaire research during music festivals. Method: Author’s questionnaire. We researched 1131 visitors music festivals: Festival name R.Riedla bad Przystanek Woodstock. 45% of them were women and 55% men; medium age +/ – 20 years. Results: Researched people declared their level of stress on 3-4 points in 6-points scale. 2/3 of them claimed that surroundings is a couse of stress. 2/3 young people said that their knowledge about stress is not enough, and only 2% of them use specialized help. In difficult life situations, if they want to cut down their level of stress, they the most often use alcohol. Conclusion: Knowledge about stress is not enough. Women and men have different ways of copy with stress. The most often young people exert passive methods of liquidate everyday difficulties.

Contemporary German Printed Media – Chosen Aspects

The paper draws on selected examples of the structure and working of the contemporary German print media, pointing to the most characteristic features of the matching process in the German press to the rapidly changing socio-economic environment, that is, the marketing of media coverage. German quality newspapers and magazines found their niche in this rapidly changing media market and have become media entities that provide broad services to the public, including that which requires in-depth analysis and information from the international space. Press despite its tabloidisation retains its influence nationwide and targeted, albeit to a limited group of customers (mostly elite) in these segments is trying to counter the general mediocrity of communication and provide not only emotional but also a fair comment and free of information and knowledge.

Economic and Social Conditions of Demand for Cultural Goods and Services and Their Consumption

The paper contains the demand side of the market for cultural goods and services, with a focus on performing arts especially the analysis of their consumption from the demand theory, which attempts to explain the motives and consequences of consumers’ decisions. The consumption of cultural goods and services is determined by many factors, and their identification is the purpose of this study. Among them there are social determinants, including education and age of consumers and economic, such as price and income. The starting point for the analysis is fact that cultural goods and services in the economy are normal goods, so the demand for them increases with increasing consumer income and decreases with the demand decrease. They are also luxury goods, which means they are purchased only when the amount of income will satisfy customers’ basic needs. The paper contains also review of results of research conducted by foreign authors to demand determinants for cultural goods and services. Selected determinants are presented using statistical data on participation in culture of citizens of the European Union. However it was not possible to present an insightful analyzed of determinants and their dynamics because of limited availability of data.

„Croaking Reality” – (Small) Cultural Consumption in the Light of Objective Data and Subjective Justifications

Representative surveys, carried out by the Central Statistical Office reveal how low is in Poland the scale of participation in culture: expenses connected with culture represent about 3% of household expenditure, and 1/3 of this amount is spent on television. Almost half of householders didn’t buy a book in year, 60% of Poles didn’t go to the cinema and 90% didn’t go to the theatre. In the same time, participation in culture is shown as a condition for social and economic development. The gap between absence of participation in culture and promoting culture is depicted in more detail in terms of statistics illustrating the scale of absence and in diagnosis of barriers. But this analysis leads to next questions – on the one hand about the apparent shallowness of these barriers, on the other – about the need for different way of task posed questions, new methods which break with the traditional questions about the museum visit or buying newspapers. As the culture changes, we should change tools of researching culture. Perhaps the picture will continue to indicate the dominance of absence, but maybe will penetrate beyond the enigmatic „I did not feel the need” to participate.

Regional Cultural Observatory in the Podlaskie Voivodeship – Conditions and Development Trends

At the beginning of the XXI century, there are significant changes in relations of work and leisure time. The development of creative economy is also recognized along with emergence of a new social stratification and changes in developmental factors. Increasingly important in the socio-economic transformation is cultural sector as well as promotion of culture and creative industries development including their linkages with dependent sectors such as tourism, architecture and industrial design. The aim of this article is to refer these processes and phenomena to the conditions of Podlaskie Voivodship and to discuss the main reasons of Regional Observatory of Culture establishment. Article indicates the need for and potential benefits of knowledge management on culture at the regional level by conducting theoretical and methodological work within the observatory. Essay based on an analysis of existing data and own research results highlights the main features of the region, information needs of cultural and art institutions, culture observatory possible models, potential activity areas of the regional observatory and the arising benefits from its activities.

Digital Distribution in Local Cinemas

In the last 20 years the digital revolution has brought a number of changes in the methods of dissemination of cultural works, particularly in the distribution of audiovisual works. An integration of electronic devices and content brings new opportunities for the development of cultural activity. An important example illustrating the range of changes in the domain of cultural management is the Malopolska Digital Cinema Network. It was created in part with funds from MROP 2007–2013 and exemplifies the use of technological innovation as an indicator of cultural mobilization. This text is a case study of local digital cinema network and attempts to define the scope of the impact of the use of digital tools in cultural and viewing practices in the cities belonging to MSKC.

Forums and Literary Portals, or the Web as a Place for Writing Initiatives

The following paper will discuss selected literary forums and portals as environments in which users can attain, develop and perfect creative writing skills. They will also be examined as spaces enabling the introduction of innovative literary concepts that would be impossible or difficult to put into practice off-line or before the advent of computer networks. Due to these qualities, a description of such forums and portals could balance out the perception of the Internet as a medium promoting profanity and graphomania. The paper will describe the functioning of literary portals, which can be seen to initiate and promote creative writing on the Internet not merely by constituting hubs for on-line literary activity but mostly through various activities stimulating and encouraging literary production. Examples of such online activities will be provided, and demonstrated to encourage writing activity. They include relay writing, literary slam, and other practices providing non-material, non-financial gratification to writers. Finally, the paper will examine some problematic issues in the functioning of such literary environments.

Stanisław Krawczyk (rev.): Ilona Iłowiecka-Tańska, Liderzy i działacze. O idei trzeciego sektora w Polsce [Leaders and Activists. On the Idea of the Third Sector in Poland], Warszawa 2011

Jowita Skrzypaszek: Pointillism or Monochrome? How Sociology “Paints” the Polish Countryside (Stan i zróżnicowanie kultury wsi i małych miast w Polsce. Kanon i rozproszenie [The Condition and Diversity of the Culture of Villages and Small Towns in Poland. Canon and Dispersal], Izabella Bukraba-Rylska, Wojciech Józef Burszta (red.), Warszawa 2011)

Sylwia Grochowina (rev.): Antoine Vitkine, „Mein Kampf”. Biografia książki [Mein Kampf. History of the Book], Warszawa 2013

Joanna Piechowiak-Lamparska, Anna Ratke-Majewska: The Contemporary Dimension of the Politics of Memory

From Folk Festivities to the Organoleptic Concept of Culture

Contemporary cultural phenomenon and the type of their receipt uncover that applied up to now ideas are faulty. More and more we have to do witch texts that their receivers do not pay attention to signs and values but to sensual qualities. “Return to things” and “neomaterialism” are popular slogans in contemporary humanities but without conviction that it means necessity of resignation prevailing foundations (for ex. understanding or interpretation) and forces us to acceptation rather naturalistic ideas. Describe of enterprises which are popular on rural and in small towns in Poland shows us that this change is important and unavoidable.

The Role of Cultural Gender in Musicological Research – Outline of the Research Field of Feminist Musicology

This article’s aim is to follow new directions in musicology research, that aspire to be interdisciplinary in character and to focus on cultural, analitical and critical approach to music. Almost entirely unknown to Polish readers, this research, defined as “new” musicology, refers to ethnomusicology and sociology of music’s outputs, and tries to apply some of the methods used in those disciplines to analyze classical Western music. Feminist musicology, on which I focus the most, is a still evolving, very popular in the US and at the same time very wide field of study. It’s analyses, although they are sometimes ideological, are one of the most interesting examples of widening the frames of traditional musicology, that are worth knowing. Not assuming to exhaust the topic, I find it crucial to outline the fields of research for this discipline.

Transformation or Transmission? Humanities Education Facing the Problems of “Displacement” in Pedagogical Relation

In my paper I discuss in pedagogical context the mechanism which Freud referred to as “transference”, and expand this subject with pedagogically relevant commentaries of Jacques Lacan who has proposed to inscribe the Freudian concept of transference into the wider context of the functioning of the authority comprised by the problematic of knowledge as such. The aim of this examination is not only to draw attention to numerous psychoanalytical insights into man’s existence in culture that may enrich pedagogical reflection with new intellectual stimuli, but also to show both positive, and negative sides of the mechanism of transference in education (consisting respectively in facilitating the process of learning and debilitating it) and in this way consider from a different perspective the ambivalence of the teacher’s authority in the classroom.

Re-Education in Penal Institutions and Types of Resistance towards Prison Isolation

This article concerns the inmates’ resistance against prison isolation and against the process of rehabilitation change. This article aims to present the results of questionnaire research aimed at establishing the correlation between the type of resistance elected by the prisoners and their prison system (and the choice of specific rehabilitation programs). The resistance is understood as an expression of rebellion against the rejection and may be manifested in the form of aggression, hostility or internal dissension. This article concerns four styles of resistance: transformative, accommodative, passive and aggressive which are differentiated by the power of involvement in resistance and prisoners’ behavior towards penal institution. Resistance to isolation in prison is thus recorded a response to the situation of imprisonment, which is perceived by prisoners as imposed by the unjust restriction. It is bound by the prisoners do not accept coercion and lack of leeway and a sense that the prison staff is trying to dominate them. The research was conducted using the method of test questionnaires were 413 prisoners, prison inmates in two prisons closed type. The study, presented as a ratio analysis can be a starting point for further and extended to the whole country research on the motivation of prisoners to participate in rehabilitation programs implemented by the prison service in Poland.

“Kindergarten Here We Come! Clap Your Hands, Beat the Drums, We Are Ready, Everyone!” – Swearing-in Ceremony for Kindergarten Pupils as a Rite of Passage

Anthropological concept of rites the passage in the sphere of pre-school education was applied in the paper. In the case of the ritual of appointing as preschool child one faces specific ritual as regards the place in which it takes place (kindergarten institution) and persons to which it is applied (children at the age of 3 and 4). The aim of a ceremony is socialization of an individual and integration with a group in the first place. Rites of passage share with the analyzed preschool ritual such features as rigid role scheme, structure of a ceremony of ritual actions, functions of a ritual, and the fact that by this ritual integration and cohesion of a group is maintained and the children’s bound with kindergarten workers is augmented. Although the ceremony of appointing as preschool child does not change the status of an individual, it performs important role related to role playing, international functions and the functions set on auto-identification of a child (that stem from group activity). Moreover, by the ceremony the youngest children can show their parents that they learn new abilities, partly different than the ones they experience at their homes. Methodological approach used in the study can be labeled as participant secret observation, close to the “participant-as-observer” category. The ceremony was observed in one of kindergartens in Toruń, in 26 children group, labeled as “Ladybirds”. Field observation was completed, firstly, by the photographic documentation (done during the ritual), secondly, by the ritual scenario (written by the kindergarten teachers), and thirdly, by the interview with the tutor of the observed group of children.

Valencing Behavior of an Aggressive Student from Their Own or Other Groups by the Teachers

The aim of this investigations was to point out that for the teachers, who evaluate students aggressive behavior, the important is their membership of the group category (the In-group vs the Out-group; the Conventional-group vs Unconventional-group). It was assumed: 1) the effect of the in group favoritism will not occur, 2) teachers evaluating student’s aggressive behavior of different social category will be guided by different standards. The investigations were performed in Kielce, in six schools (primary school, gymnasium and secondary school) and 112 teachers participated in this studies. The results show than the lack of effect of the in-group favoritism where there is a necessity to punish the aggressive behavior of student and in the level of punishment. Moreover, 1) the teachers have more intensity of the need for punishment student the Unconventional than the Conventional, 2) the normative standards are more important for teachers evaluating students aggressive behavior for In-group vs Out-group, but in the Unconventional – group vs Conventionalgroup the allo-egocentric standards were preferred.

Dynamics of Changes in the Mentality of Adolescents in Kyrgyzstan in Contemporary Political Realities

The article describes the issues related to the socio-political mentality of young citizens of Kyrgyzstan, factors that drive change, and the role of education in the ongoing processes. Described as an illustration of the state and the process was used empirical material collected during research conducted in Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University.

Between the Left and the Right, or Should We Be Afraid of the Truth and Praise Postmodernism?

Should we be afraid of the truth? This question is important not only for the world of philosophy, but also politics. Reluctance to fixed and immutable foundation used to characterize the left . This right has traditionally appealed to what is permanent, unchanging, universal, in what social order should be rooted. And for that it is criticized. It has been suggested that we should reject the right-wing chains, reject universalism, to become free and head toward postmodernism. Postmodernism today seems to give hope for further development, including policy based on new narratives – particularly left-wing. Postmodernism, as it is seen by Grzegorz Lewicki, seems to be close to the critical theory that can help us in the liberation and emancipation. Closer analysis, however, allows us to see that also in critical theory there is a desire to discover the truth about what is reality. It also allows to see that the category of truth is not as bad as it is painted. It is not necessary to get rid of the reference to the category of truth, because truth is not the problem in itself. We can still keep it without sacrificing what was the best in postmodernism. If we are successful, then there might be the chance to reconcile the left with the right.

Sexual Revolution as a Road to Postmodernism – Analysis of the Works by Wilhelm Reich in the Light of the Contemporary Deconstruction of Patriarchal Culture

The aim of the present article is a presentation of Wilhelm Reich’s works as one of the most important intellectual foundations of postmodernity. Particularly the propagated by Reich sexual revolution constitutes the kernel of contemporary cultural changes in the West. An important point of reference for Reich were the revelations of Bronisław Malinowski on the sexual life of savages. These convinced Reich that there is no necessary conflict between the satisfaction of sensual desires and cultural life, as Sigmund Freud proclaimed. In order to overcome the dualism between nature and culture in the western culture Reich deconstructed the ecclesiastic image of Jesus Christ. Instead of a savior Reich suggested that one should see in Jesus a man who proclaimed reconciliation between the forces of nature and the social life. In this way Reich tried to convince that in place of ascetic moral values the ones that promote sexual liberty and individual satisfaction should be placed. I will try to demonstrate that the ideas of Reich constitute a fundamental intellectual source of the contemporary western culture.

Psychological Mechanisms Regulating the Process of Passage from Professional Education to Employment

The changes taking place in the modern societies, and in particular the changes on the job market, have resulted in several individual consequences. The particular area of interest is the process of human development, up till now explained with the aid of models based on stages of development. These stages assume that the growth and improvement change in terms of quality and at the same time they marginalize the ideas of repetition, reduction and standstill. The aim of this paper is to discuss the contemporary psychological theories and concepts behind the mechanisms regulating the process of transition from vocational education to work. The paper presents the basic theories of Human Agents by Albert Bandura. In its light the mechanisms of self-efficacy are discussed as the most important regulators of vocational activities. Following that, Human Agents concept continuation by Augustyn Bańka is also cited, in particular, the mechanisms regulating the course of vocational career. Empirical relations between the attitudes of young adults entering job market and their perception of self-efficacy are also presented.

Marta Maleszewska (rev.): Jean Burgess, Joshua Green, YouTube. Online Video and Participatory Culture, Warsaw 2011

Urszula Dernowska (rev.): Ronald A. Wolk, Wasting Minds, Alexandria 2011

Agnieszka Jeran: Rather the Present than the Future… Report from the Conference „Przyszłość technik badawczych w socjologii” [The Future of Research Methods in Sociology]