After the Blank Spots are Filled. Recent Perspectives on Modern Poland History Cover Image

Kiedy znikną białe plamy. Spojrzenie na współczesną historiografię Polski
After the Blank Spots are Filled. Recent Perspectives on Modern Poland History

Author(s): Padraic Kenney
Subject(s): History
Published by: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej

Summary/Abstract: The author reviews trends in Modern Polish History among Polish and Anglo--American scholars. In the study of the 19th century and the Second Republic, he finds increasing attention to the ways that national identity is invented, and in particular to the importance of relations with other national groups shaped Poles’ conceptions of themselves. Scholarship on World War Two, as well, is now recognizing that conflict’s role as a crucible of national identity, though some historians still limit themselves to simpler stories of national unity and betrayal. The Communist period, in turn, is yielding some of the most innovative work, as scholars move from filling in the blank spots to investigating the mechanisms of accommodation and opposition. In conclusion, the author offers some thoughts on the directions that Polish history can take in the near future.

  • Issue Year: 12/2008
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 369-400
  • Page Count: 32
  • Language: Polish