Wojciech Józef Burszta How do we understand multicultural world

Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Wojciech Józef Burszta
How do we understand multicultural world?
The article presents the issue of different meanings of the terms “multiculturality” and “multiculturalism,” which we associate with contemporary fashion for, and
promotion of, cultural diversity. The author deals with historical contexts of meaning of multiculturality as the way of maintenance of one’s own style of life in different ethnic territories. Next he discusses qualitative changes when we speak about
multiculturality predominantly in the context of the city and metropolitan culture.
The second part of the article focuses on the issue of commodization of signs
denoting cultural diversity as one of the major indicators of current “consuming”
of multiculturality as a value which deserves to be promoted in the educational and
commercial fields.
Key words: multiculturality, multiculturalism, cultural diversity, metropolitan
culture
Jak rozumieć wielokulturowy świat?
Artykuł przedstawia problem różnych sensów pojęcia „wielokulturowość”
i „multikulturalizm”, jakie wiązane są z obecną modą i promocją odmienności kulturowej. Autor wskazuje na historyczne konteksty rozumienia wielokulturowości
jako kultywowania własnego stylu życia na odrębnych terytoriach etnicznych, a następnie wskazuje na jakościową zmianę, jaka zaszła w momencie, kiedy o wielokulturowości mówi się głównie w kontekście miasta i kultury metropolitalnej.
Druga część rozważań poświęcona jest problemowi komodyfikacji (utowarowienia) znaków odmienności kulturowej jako jednemu z głównych wyznaczników
obecnego „konsumowania” wielokulturowości jako wartości godnej promowania
w sensie edukacyjnym i komercyjnym.
Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Glen M.E. Duerr
Peaceful and Mutual Parliamentary Dissolution: Dissolved Unions in Sweden–
–Norway (1905) and Czechoslovakia (1993) and their lessons for Europe
Multiethnic states in Europe are, in many ways, struggling to govern themselves. Belgium, for example, has had trouble forming a government based, in large measure, on rising electoral support for Flemish parties and Walloon politicians who do not trust them.
This describes the political situation in a number of countries and since European states are
not likely to go to war over constitutional issues, a peaceful resolution to conflict must be
found. Peaceful dissolution, therefore, is an alternative to political deadlock between different groups. It is an elite driven process whereby a state is dissolved after a constitutional crisis
becomes intractable and the state is dissolved without popular consultation.
The examples of Sweden–Norway in 1905 and the “Velvet Divorce” of Czechoslovakia
serve as case studies for the process of how dissolution occurs. Moreover, these cases also
showcase how dissolution is different from other mechanisms of self-determination like decolonization, irredentism and secession.
Key Words: Dissolution; Sweden-Norway; Czechoslovakia; multiethnic states; elites
Pokojowe i na zasadzie wzajemności parlamentarne rozwiązanie unii: rozpad
Szwecji–Norwegii (1905) i Czechosłowacji (1993) i co z tego wynika dla Europy
Wielonarodowe państwa europejskie na różne sposoby zmagają się ze sprawowaniem
rządów u siebie. I tak na przykład Belgia – kraj wielu narodów – doświadczyła fiaska prób
sformułowania rządu, wypływającego w głównej mierze ze wzrostu poparcia udzielonego
przez wyborców partiom flamandzkim z jednej strony, a z drugiej – z braku zaufania do nich
polityków walońskich. Podobna sytuacja polityczna występuje także w innych krajach, a ponieważ państwa europejskie sporów natury konstytucyjnej raczej nie rozstrzygają na drodze wojennej, musi się znaleźć takie czy inne pokojowe rozwiązanie nabrzmiałego konfliktu.
Kiedy dochodzi do impasu politycznego między poszczególnymi ugrupowaniami, wyjściem
z trudnej sytuacji może być pokojowy rozpad państwa. Jest to proces, któremu przewodzą
elity, a rozpad państwa następuje w konsekwencji tego, że kryzysu konstytucyjnego w żaden sposób nie daje się opanować. W takich okolicznościach nie zasięga się też opinii ogółu
społeczeństwa.
Autor artykułu wnikliwie analizuje tło i przebieg tego rodzaju pokojowego rozwiązania
unii, omawiając konkretne przykłady: Szwecji–Norwegii w 1905 roku oraz Czechosłowacji
i jej „aksamitnej rewolucji”. Te dwa przypadki ukazują ponadto, czym omawiany tu rozpad
państwa różni się od innych mechanizmów samostanowienia, takich jak dekolonizacja, irredenta czy secesja.
Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Piotr Eberhardt
The numbers and distribution of the Ukrainian population
at the turn of the 21st century
Liczebność i rozmieszczenie ludności ukraińskiej
na przełomie XX i XXI wieku
The consecutive parts of the article are devoted to the ethnic transformations
of Ukraine and in particular to the changes in the number and distribution of the
population of Ukrainian nationality. The initial statistical analysis is based on the
results of the Soviet population censuses. Attention is paid to the processes of Rusification and Sovietisation, taking place then. The subsequent part of the analysis
concerns the ethnic transformations in the sovereign Ukraine, when the number of
inhabitants declaring the Russian nationality dropped by more than three million.
In the consecutive part of the article the number of the Ukrainian population, distributed over the territory of the farmer USSR is determined. In the final part of the
paper attention was attracted to the fact that the deep ethnic transformations having occurred in the territory of Ukraine had political reasons. They resulted in the
far-reaching changes in the consciousness of the inhabitants. These changes encompassed millions of Ukrainians and Russians, as well as people living within the borderland of the Ukrainian and Russian culture and language.
Key words: Ukraine, Ukrainians, Ukrainian diaspora
Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Łukasz Sołtysik
The numbers and distribution of Lemkos and Ukrainians
in Lower Silesia in 1947-1955
Liczebność i rozmieszczenie Łemków i Ukraińców
na Dolnym Śląsku w latach 1947-1955
In 1947, the communist regime in Poland forcibly resettled about 140,000
Ukrainians and Lemkos from their traditional homeland in southeastern Poland to
the north and west of the country (formerly German territories). This massive relocation program is known as ‘Operation Vistula’. The communists’ intention was to
build a nation state. Over 21,000 of the deportees settled in Lower Silesia. The author
discusses the principles under which the Ukrainians and Lemkos were settled in the
new territories in Lower Silesia.
The article is mainly based on author’s own detailed archival research. It presents new data on the size and distribution of these populations in Lower Silesia and
focuses on the following aspects: the distribution of the Ukrainians and Lemkos in
Lower Silesia after ‘Operation Vistula’ in 1947, some problems with the distribution
of the relocated people in 1947 and 1948, administrative resettlements in Wrocław
Voivodeship in the summer and autumn of 1948, major changes in the distribution
of the Ukrainians and Lemkos population in the second half of 1948, as well as after
the Polish administrative reform in 1950.
Key words: Lemkos, Ukrainians, Lower Silesia, ‘Operation Vistula’
Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Magdalena Kaczmarczyk
Towards third sociology of nationalism?
Subjective turn in the sociological debate on nation
Czy trzecia socjologia nacjonalizmu?
Zwrot aktywistyczny w socjologicznej debacie o narodzie
This article offers a reconstruction of a remarkable turn that is emerging in
the contemporary sociological discourse on nation. Special attention is given to the
thread of debate which focuses on the question of the foundation of nations and
nationalism, thus perspectives of primordialism, ethno-symbolism and modernisation theories are presented. Subsequently there are given examples of the significant
change in the main axis of the discourse, which recently has been reformulated into
analyzing nation as a category of praxis. Contemporary generation of researchers of
nationalism (e.g., Michael Billig, Tim Edensor, Michael Keating) seem to be more
interested in how nations work than in their origin.
Key words: sociological discourse on nation, sociology of nationalism
Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Anna Antczak
Catalan nationalism
Nacjonalizm kataloński
The article aims at presenting the sources of Catalan nationalism as well as its
evolution, putting strong emphasis on social, economic and cultural characteristics
of the region. It tackles some historic aspects of building national identity of the Catalans, but mostly focuses on factors determining Catalan nationalist ideology (i.e.,
including language and culture, economy, foreign policy and social issues).
Conducted research and analysis gives strong basis to draw a conclusion that
Catalan aspirations for autonomy lack a separatist element. They are rather dominated by affirmation of separate national identity, which is a result of Catalan ambition
to play the most important role in Spain as well as to trace the path of development
for the whole country according to the Catalan concept. Economic advancement
generates the desire to possess more influence on Spanish policy, especially in the
field of economy and the EU matters. Catalonia shows strong “individualism” and
would like to have a possibility of holding independent decision making processes,
especially concerning the region, as there is the conviction about being exploited by
the rest of the country, which has its roots in the history.
Key words: nationalism, region, Catalan national identity, nation, autonomy
Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Anna G. Piotrowska
The concept of national music in Spain and traditions of Gitanos
Koncepcja muzyki narodowej w Hiszpanii a tradycja Gitanos
As late as at the turn of the 20th century a need to create national Spanish music
idiom was felt in the country. The composer and musicologist F. Pedrell undertook
the mission of establishing the platform for understanding what national Spanish
music would or could mean, taking into account both the long musical traditions in
Spain and European experiences. The most successful composers considered as representatives of national Spanish music also recruited from Pedrell’s students, among
them Manuel de Falla, and enjoyed international careers.
Key words: Gypsy music, Spanish national music, Pedrell, Falla
Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Krzysztof Jaskułowski
Some reflections on a Flag. Towards anthropology of nationalism
Refleksje o fladze. W stronę antropologii nacjonalizmu
The article investigates the symbolic and mythical significance of a national
flag. Drawing on observations of the uses of the American flag and literature the author analyzes different dimensions of a national flag. He looks at a flag from different
angles and shows diverse interpretative tropes.
The article shortly analyzes such phenomena as modernity of national flag, the
cult of a flag, magic of a flag and symbolic emptiness of a flag. Basically, the author
argues that from cognitive point of view a flag may be described as metonymy which
provides mental access to abstract concept of a nation.
Key words: flag, symbols, myths, anthropology, nation
Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Adam Pomieciński
Contestation of Globalisation. Cultural aspect of Alter-globalisation
Kontestacja globalizacji. Kulturowy wymiar alterglobalizmu
The term “anti-globalisation” is quite imprecise and ambiguous. Therefore it is
necessary to make it more precise, but what is even more important is its new critical interpretation. The anti-globalist trend is currently represented not only by those
who openly oppose globalisation and postulate “return” to nationalist thinking, but
also by those who call themselves alter-globalists and offer us an alternative vision
of globalisation.
The author discusses the issue of alter-globalisation in a broad cultural context,
also as an anthropological attempt at analysis of a social movement which is now
termed “alter-globalist movement,” or a “movement of movements.” It also appears
in groups which are not directly connected with anti-globalisation, being part of political, philosophical, or ecological discourses. The article is predominantly based
on conclusions and reflections from the author’s own field research which he has
conducted among the contestants of globalisation.
Key words: anti-globalisation, alter-globalisation, nationalism, culture
Sprawy Narodowościowe. Seria nowa, 35 – Abstracts
Jerzy Buczko
Mutual Relations between Inhabitants of Zgorzelec, Poland and Görlitz,
Germany in light of Polish-German Relations
Relacje między mieszkańcami Zgorzelca i Görlitz
w aspekcie stosunków polsko-niemieckich
In 1945, the Potsdam conference decided about the redrawing of the PolishGerman border. Thus the town of Görlitz was divided: its southern portion became
part of Poland and was later named Zgorzelec. Between 1945 and 1990, the inhabitants of Görlitz and Zgorzelec had little contact. But as the Iron Curtain collapsed,
the two towns’ self-governing bodies have undertaken many joint initiatives in order
to establish Polish-German cooperation. Although they get along well, the process
of integration between the German and Polish parts of the town is difficult, full of
resentiments and historical burdens. The inhabitants of the twin city on opposite
banks of the river have felt separated not only by a foreign language but, more significantly, also by history, culture, habits and customs. Their integration, which is
slowly continuing, offers a researcher an interesting insight.
In 2008, the author conducted empirical investigation to find an answer to the
following question: How do mutual relations between the inhabitants of Zgorzelec
and Görlitz look like? Among other issues, he investigated the influence of elimination of border controls on the integration of the inhabitants as well as the importance of unrestricted movement between the two towns on the two sides of the river
and the level of contacts between both communities. The data obtained in the survey
is representative of permanent adult inhabitants of the twin city Zgorzelec/Görlitz
(over eighteen years of age), as per 300 surveys were administered to both Polish and
German inhabitants.
Key words: Zgorzelec, Görlitz, Polish-German relations and cooperation