The Dynamics of Polish Patriotism After 1989: Concepts, Debates, Identities
The dynamics of Polish patriotism after 1989: concepts, debates, identities by Dorota Szeligowska submitted to Central European University Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy and International Relations In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Supervisors: Prof. Lea Sgier Prof. Balázs Trencsényi CEU eTD Collection Budapest, Hungary 2014 Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis contains no materials accepted for any other degrees, in any other institutions. The thesis contains no materials previously written and/or published by any other person, except where appropriate acknowledgement is made in the form of bibliographical reference. Dorota Szeligowska 30 June 2014 CEU eTD Collection ii Abstract During rapid social changes, such as democratic transition, both intellectual and political elites discuss the essence of key political concepts. After 1989, in Poland, during such intellectual debates academics, editorialists and politicians have discussed extensively the legacy of the communist regime, and the nature of the new democratic regime, and have redefined important concepts. Particularly, discussions over the concept of patriotism or its re-definition have occurred with astonishing frequency since 25 years. Already in 1990, the renowned historian of ideas Andrzej Walicki suggested that “a new kind of Polish patriotism must be developed: a patriotism free from the archaic features of the democratic legacy of Old Poland, critical of Romantic illusions, but no less critical of [Roman] Dmowski’s version of political realism.” This statement built on the idea of civic patriotism, proposed by a dissident left-wing intellectual Jan Józef Lipski, in his significant essay “Dwie ojczyzny, dwa patriotyzmy (Two fatherlands, two patriotisms),” published in 1981.
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