The Neighbour Almighty: Social Construction of the Village Mayorship
The Neighbour Almighty: Social Construction of the Village Mayorship

Summary/Abstract: Aim of the work: The article examines how citizens' everyday practices shape the institution of the Village Mayorship in Poland. Its aim is to show that understanding the Village Mayorship requires going beyond its legal definition and studying the practices associated with this institution. The theoretical framework for the analysis is provided by Pierre Bourdieu's practice theory. Research method: Empirically, the study draws on 23 semi-structured interviews conducted with Village Mayors from different regions of Poland. Key results: The empirical material reveals that citizens commonly approach the Mayor through informal, neighbourly interactions and frequently address them with problems that exceed the formal scope of the office. Building on these findings, the paper develops an analytical model that conceptualises the Village Mayorship through the practices that constitute it. Main conclusions: For the interviewed Mayors, these practices generate a dual image of the role: they are positioned as 'neighbour-sovereigns,' combining everyday proximity with expectations of authority. The Mayors respond to this dual image by striving to uphold the 'neighbour' dimension of the role, while legal constraints prevent them from fully embodying the 'sovereign' aspect. The model developed in the paper can also be applied to studying how everyday interactions shape other local and institutional leadership roles.

• Details
• Contents