The aim of this article is to describe the impact of secularization processes in Poland on the transformation of symbolic religious boundaries in small local communities, as well as to offer an in-depth scholarly reflection on the mechanisms and consequences of these changes. The analysis focuses on a specific region in the eastern borderland, characterised by a high level of religious and ethnic diversity and a low level of urbanisation, which limits the influence of secularization processes. To verify the hypotheses, an analysis was conducted on research material obtained from semi-structured qualitative interviews with young, educated residents of Podlasie who grew up in villages and small towns but currently live in Bia & lstrok;ystok. The collected material revealed that respondents experienced a significant decline in religiosity, which began during adolescence and had a crucial impact on the redefinition of symbolic religious boundaries between believers and non-believers in their traditional hometowns. While the distinction between Orthodox Christians and Catholics was accepted, atheists often faced exclusion or social isolation.
This article utilizes exit poll data from IPSOS to examine the sociodemographic determinants of voting behavior in the 2023 Polish parliamentary elections. Applying multinomial logistic regression, we examine the independent effects of age, gender, education, occupation, and place of residence on party choice, with PiS as the reference category. The results reveal clear structural divides: younger voters, better-educated voters, and urban voters disproportionately support KO [Koalicja Obywatelska, Civic Coalition], NL [Nowa Lewica, The Left], and, in the case of young men, Konfederacja [Confederation], while older voters, less-educated voters, and rural voters remain PiS's electoral base. Gender effects are significant, with men more inclined toward Konfederacja and women toward NL. Occupational status further differentiates preferences, with business owners leaning toward Konfederacja and pensioners toward PiS. Predicted probability plots illustrate these dynamics and confirm the persistence of class, generational, and spatial cleavages in Polish politics. Methodologically, the study demonstrates the analytical potential of exit poll data, offering a replicable framework for future electoral research in Poland and beyond.
This study investigates the relationship between religiosity, authoritarianism, and nationalism in Poland in 2023, drawing on theories of religious nationalism and authoritarian personality. Building on the insights from the literature on religious nationalism, moral traditionalism and right-wing authoritarianism, we hypothesize that religiosity positively influences nationalist views, operating indirectly through authoritarian predispositions that channel religious commitments into nationalist attitudes. Nationalism was operationalized as a multidimensional construct encompassing attitudes toward national pride, perceived threats to identity, and resistance to the European Union's cultural influence. Using data from the 2018, and 2023 waves of POLPAN, 1 a long-running Polish panel survey, we examined both cross-sectional and longitudinal dynamics. Results demonstrate that religiosity exerts a strong direct effect on nationalism, while authoritarianism functions as a mediating orientation that independently reinforces nationalist attitudes. Lagged regression models confirm the temporal stability of nationalism, yet also reveal that religiosity and authoritarianism contribute to its intensification over time. These findings contribute to debates on the intersection of religiosity, authoritarianism, and nationalism, highlighting the enduring relevance of theories of religious nationalism and authoritarian predispositions in contemporary Poland.
Public consultations have become an important forum for negotiating policies towards immigrants and refugees in Poland. This article analyses the public consultations conducted in 2025 around two proposed amendments to the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens. 332 people took part in the procedure. The article shows the main arguments related to the participation of foreigners in the institutions of the welfare state, including the criteria for deserving benefits. In many aspects, they coincide with the typology formulated by Wim van Oorschot (2000). Deservingness is assessed according to the criteria of identity (primarily based on citizenship), recipients' responsibility for their situation, the level of their needs, their gratitude, and reciprocity. In addition, the analysis of the narratives revealed one more criterion of deservingness: this is the criterion of financial burden. Namely, the argument that people in need for a short period of time are more accepted than those in need for a longer period of time resonates strongly in the consultations, and the high burden of assistance on the state budget is cited as an argument against social transfers. The public debate on benefits for Ukrainians has deeper significance than being a politicized dispute over welfare benefits for a group within the refugee community. It may be important in determining what welfare state model is accepted in Poland.
Science undergoes the gradual market-oriented transformation. Our study intends to illustrate how these market logics manifest themselves at the individual level of scientists. By examining the marketized mentality (MM) of scientists in Poland, we confirm that the traditional academic ethos and the marketized mentality are incompatible. Scientists as a group manifest fewer signs of marketized mentality than the general population of Poland. This does not mean that higher MM is uncommon among scientists. Representatives of humanities, agricultural and veterinary sciences, and medical sciences were less willing to adopt MM values than those in social sciences. We found that higher degrees of MM characterized academics whose attitude towards values and norms might be describes as 'opportunistic' and who additionally conduct applied research. This suggests that the lack of academic values might disturb the ability of science to solve problems that are unprofitable such as climate change, economic inequality, migration, and pandemics.
The topic of classical music taste has been widely discussed in the sociology of cultural inequalities. Most analyses have considered the classical genre a single unit and have often focused on the socioeconomic and sociodemographic characteristics of audiences, without seriously addressing motives for attending. In this paper, we present a statistical analysis of data collected by an institution that offers a full program of classical music in Santiago (Chile). Classical concerts, operas and ballets are examined separately. Using linear regression models of intensity of attendance, we explore socioeconomic and sociodemographic variables, along with a diversity of motivations for attendance as explanatory factors. Results demonstrate that classical concerts, operas and ballets are different phenomena. Acknowledging the significant effects of age and sex, motives for attendance are also found to play a prominent role in all the statistical explanations, but they all differ in their impact across the three classical subgenres.
This article examines how confidence in everyday digital practices, such as searching for product information, managing social media privacy settings, and restricting browser cookies, shapes individuals' confidence in their ability to fact-check online content. The analysis of a recent CROss-National Online Survey (CRONOS) data from 11 European countries reveals that confidence in these digital skills is a stronger predictor of fact-checking confidence than socio-demographic and structural characteristics, participation in digital training, or frequency of internet use. The findings suggest that individuals approach online truthfulness not primarily as epistemic agents or citizens, but as consumers searching for reliable offers. The analysis also provides evidence that trust in scientists enhances fact-checking confidence, while generalized interpersonal trust reduces it, highlighting the need to distinguish between offline and online social norms. Based on these findings, policy recommendations to strengthen the digital fact-checking skills of European citizens are formulated.
This paper examines the naming preferences of Polish mothers across different educational and occupational groups. An online survey of 2,579 respondents asked mothers to rate the attractiveness of 25 male and 25 female names. Exploratory factor analysis identified five name categories for each gender. Mean ratings by education level and EGP class position were compared using one-way ANOVA. The results indicate that mothers with higher levels of education and occupational status tended to prefer names rooted in Polish tradition-whether already popular or experiencing a revival-while avoiding those considered outdated. In contrast, mothers with lower levels of education and occupational status were relatively more favorable toward recently imported names. Preferences for male names showed greater social differentiation than those for female names, supporting the view that boys' names more strongly reflect social background and parental cultural capital.
This comparative study explores how university students in Poland and China negotiate familial expectations regarding career choices. Drawing on 65 in-depth interviews and a narrative prompt method, the research identifies four strategies: negotiated compliance, filial acquiescence, assertive self-actualization, and contextual adaptation. While Chinese students tend to emphasize duty, stability, and parental authority, Polish students highlight emotional autonomy and dialogical compromise. These patterns are mediated by geography, gender, and parental education, with urban youth and those from highly educated families demonstrating greater agency. The study expands Bourdieu's theory of cultural capital by showing how intergenerational influence is negotiated within distinct national moral economies. It also contributes to youth sociology by illustrating how macro-level transformations-post-socialist transitions, labor market insecurity, and educational diversification- are refracted in micro-level family dynamics. The findings provide a cross-cultural account of how young people balance personal aspirations and familial obligations under changing socio-economic conditions.
This article employs Janet Wolff's theory of the social production of art to investigate the creative agency of Polish illustrators. Based on a series of in-depth interviews with experienced practitioners, the study analyses how artists negotiate the persistent tension between aspirations for autonomy and the socio-economic realities of their profession. The findings reveal that illustration is not merely an individual pursuit but rather a collaborative practice, shaped by networks of clients, institutions, and audiences. This collaborative nature simultaneously supports creative expression and imposes significant constraints on artistic control. Importantly, the research demonstrates that while illustrators often achieve high levels of symbolic capital gaining recognition, prestige, and professional respect, this rarely translates into stable economic capital, thereby exposing the structural precarity that continues to characterize the field.
The misuse of prescription drugs among individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) is a growing public health concern, particularly after disasters. However, there is limited research on the experiences of pharmacy workers in such contexts. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the post-earthquake experiences of 30 pharmacy workers (19 male, 11 female) regarding prescription drug misuse by individuals with SUD. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically. Six themes emerged: the impact of the 2023 earthquake in T & uuml;rkiye; misused medications and user characteristics; methods of identifying individuals with SUD; strategies to combat misuse; violence and security concerns; and Ministry of Health regulations. Pharmacy workers pointed to an increased misuse of prescription drugs after the earthquake, with young adults (18-30) being a key risk group. It is recommended that such medications be dispensed only through hospital pharmacies, under strict control, to reduce misuse and enhance staff safety.
The Rural Commune of Stare Juchy in Masuria, in northeastern Poland, is sociologically interesting due to the migration processes that are occurring there. Since the 1990s, many residents have emigrated abroad, primarily to Iceland. At the same time, an opposite trend has been occurring: residents of large cities have been migrating to Stare Juchy. These intense migration processes in opposite directions could lead to the gradual social and spatial gentrification of the villages of the commune. But is this happening in Stare Juchy? This article presents the findings of two studies conducted among the residents of the commune. The first study, which was conducted between 2016 and 2017, focused on emigrants, return migrants, and the families of emigrants. The second study, conducted between 2019 and 2021, examined new settlers from large cities. The research concentrated on the consequences of migration for individuals, families, and, most importantly, the local community. The findings indicate that emigrants and returnees were not the primary agents of change in the villages of the commune. Instead, new settlers played a more significant role in transforming the villages and their inhabitants. These newcomers invested in local tourism, initiated various social activities, and took on leadership roles in nongovernmental organizations.
This article presents part of the findings of a research project that focuses on women from the Ukrainian minority in Poland. There is a huge imbalance between the strong involvement of Ukrainian women in maintaining the culture of the minority and their absence from collective memory and historical knowledge. Families store memories of women, but in the process of institutionalization the collective memory of the public automatically becomes masculinized. Therefore, collective memory ignores the real experience of half the minority and perpetuates the conservative gender division. These conclusions are further analyzed in the context of contemporary conditions that shape the collective identity of the minority. Currently, as Russia continues its fullscale invasion of Ukraine, questions about the masculinization of national memory and the collective dismemory of women's war experiences have returned.
This article is a comprehensive study of various aspects of demographic change in the countries of Central Asia. It considers population aging and its impact on health care, the economy, and social policy. The writers use a systems approach, along with analysis, comparison, synthesis, deduction, and classification. In the field of health care, there is an increasing need for geriatrics and long-term care for elderly citizens. In the economic sphere, population aging leads to demographic imbalances and challenges in pension systems, which require revision of social programs and policies. In the area of social policy, the problems for older people include social exclusion and limited access to the labor market. The writers analyze demographic indicators in Central Asia and China and provide recommendations for improving access to health and social support for older people. These research findings could be used in the development and implementation of strategies for effective social governance in response to aging populations: adaptive approaches to health care, labor management, and social security, and sustainable and inclusive social systems.
This article explores the role of the video camera operator during the recording of social events, with a specific focus on hatha yoga practice. Drawing from phenomenological and sociological theories, particularly the theory of spacing and synthesis and the concept of "finite provinces of meaning," the study investigates how the camera operator navigates the multiple "worlds" of yoga practice. Through self-reflection and visual ethnography, the article examines the operator's influence on the construction and perception of space, the emotional and cognitive challenges encountered, and the ethical considerations of balancing observation with participation. As a methodological tool, video recording not only captures social interactions but also actively shapes them. For this project, 822 minutes, or approximately 14 hours, of recordings were made. By analyzing both the technical and social dimensions of the camera operator's role, this study offers insights into how technology mediates social interactions and the construction of space in visual research.
This study with an insiders' perspective may contribute to the understanding of Poland's troubled transition towards a net-zero economy. It utilizes Finnemore and Sikkink's life cycle of a norm framework within the context of net-zero ambitions at a national level. The findings are based on 15 semi-structured interviews and a mapping of Poland's decarbonization field both undertaken with insiders of that field. Findings based on the sample reveal initial results that various norm entrepreneurs advocate for operationalizing a net-zero target in Poland, typical for the norm emergence phase, clashing with strong opponents of change: norm antipreneurs. The findings provide hints of a tipping point and further cascadization of the norm. Due to the only ongoing cascadisation, no further internalization or taken-for-granted status of the net-zero norm was found. This study contributes to the understanding of the field by its insiders. By following existing research and adding a new perspective it contributes to a better understanding of the diffusion and adoption of climate policy and understanding of the decarbonization field in Poland.
The article discusses the social space of consumption of domestic technologies in urban settings in People's Republic of Poland. It argues that the state-implemented progress discourse was the key factor in the emergence of fashion within this context. Retrospective in-depth interviews were analyzed. Together it is 39 interviews with 27 participants. The interlocutors belong to elder historical generations. The findings suggest what was the course of the process of fashion emergence in socialist modernity. In the first step, due to the progress discourse the value of being modern was internalized. It allowed for adoption of 'progressive' domestic technologies. The fashion in terms of imitating novel and external patterns emerged. In the second step, due to the shortages of goods, the owned domestic technologies raised the social status of its owners. This is how social emulation emerged as the process of imitation and competition for the higher standard of living.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Poland experienced an unprecedented influx of war refugees, mainly women and children. This study analyses the attitudes of Polish non-metropolitan areas residents towards Ukrainian refugees in the first months of the conflict and examines how traditional patterns of rural hospitality intersect with infrastructural limitations. The analysis is based on recollections collected as part of the "My Local Community Towards Refugees" competition. The study uses qualitative textual analysis to explore personal accounts of aid, taking into account the changing dynamics of the relationship between refugees and host communities. While many villagers actively integrated refugees into their social networks, narratives of scepticism, resentment and nationalistic hostility also emerged, often shaped by economic concerns and historical grievances.
There has been a notable absence of analysis of how the intelligentsia is perceived by society, even though such studies would be instrumental in the current context, where there are growing challenges to authority and intensifying anti-elite sentiment aimed especially at cultural elites. This paper addresses the current authority and symbolic capital of the intelligentsia. It draws on empirical data collected in a survey of Polish society and utilizes Weber's concept of authority and Bourdieu's theory of capital. The study established that Poles identify the intelligentsia mainly in its historically shaped form as people with cultural capital and an ethos understood as lifestyle or moral obligation. The image of the intelligentsia is defined in opposition to "specialists without spirit," and only then it is socially effective and still recognized as symbolically important. As a result, the intelligentsia is cast as an authority, which gives it the right to play a leading role. This paper posits that as long as the image of an ethos-based, selfless group endowed with cultural capital prevails in society, the intelligentsia will continue to possess symbolic capital.
The present study adopts a behaviorist approach to conceptualizing the phenomenon of heroism. It endeavors to identify the behavioral tendencies that military students may display in extreme situations. These behavioral tendencies are influenced by their perception of what constitutes heroic behavior. The orientation towards the Archetypal Hero may be indicative of the psychological unpreparedness of military students to commit acts that go beyond the actions required by military service. The attraction to the Prototypical Hero may be explained by the need to be identified with another person who is an example of efficiency. The behavior of respondents whose associations make up the Prosocial Hero group would, in an emergency, be closer to the requirements outlined in the Military Ethics and Codes of Honor. It may be expected that respondents who prefer everyday heroism will be more successful in adapting to stress and maintaining their mental and emotional wellbeing in difficult and negative situations.
