HEALERS AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON IN POLAND IN THE NINETEEN-SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES — AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS Cover Image

UZDROWICIELE JAKO ZJAWISKO SPOŁECZNE W POLSCE W LATACH SIEDEMDZIESIĄTYCH I OSIEMDZIESIĄTYCH XX WIEKU — PRÓBA ANALIZY
HEALERS AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON IN POLAND IN THE NINETEEN-SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES — AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS

Author(s): Daniel Wicenty, Jan Hlebowicz
Subject(s): Social history, Applied Sociology, Health and medicine and law
Published by: Instytut Studiów Politycznych PAN
Keywords: Polish People’s Republic; healers; psychotronics; Catholic Church; academic science; fields of power; health service;

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses the social issue of healers and the psychotronics and dowsing accompanying them in Poland’s 1970s and 80s. Their mass popularity as well as their classless and cross-environmental character are also featured. The attempt to provide an answer as to the origin of this popularity is embedded in the field concept. Thus the article concerns the presence of healers in the fields of power, in the health service, the Catholic Church, in academic science and among intellectuals. It also presents healers’ practices in the context of the rules, perceptions and rituals typical of these fields, as well as the real-life approbative, symbiotic and conflictual interactions.

  • Issue Year: 67/2023
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 181-204
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Polish