Elite Made of Paper Cover Image

Papierowa elitarność
Elite Made of Paper

Author(s): Tomasz Bielak
Subject(s): Anthropology, Philosophy, Social Sciences, Economy, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Culture and social structure
Published by: Instytut Nauk o Kulturze i Studiów Interdyscyplinarnych - Wydział Filologiczny - Uniwersytet Śląski
Keywords: "Vogue"; elite; auto-ethnography; the beginnings of Polish capitalism

Summary/Abstract: In the article I focus on six numbers of the Polish edition of "Vogue" magazine. The analysis concerns the opening issue and September issue. I link interpretations of selected fragments of the magazine, covers, the most popular models, influencers and so-called "interesting people" quite experimentally. Thinking of the hermeneutical way of reading texts of culture, I use a method from qualitative sociology: auto-ethnography. I read the texts (articles, interviews, photos, signatures of advertisements) without scientific distance, connecting conclusions with the beginnings of Polish capitalism and the lack of a clear, self-aware, educated middle class. The story of "Vogue" is a story about the generation of today's forty-year-olds. The magazine enabled them to think about a sentimental journey to the beginnings of the free market economy and democracy after 1989.

  • Issue Year: 2019
  • Issue No: 28
  • Page Range: 49-78
  • Page Count: 30
  • Language: Polish