Introduction To Poland

Introduction to Poland

Poland is located in central Europe and shares its borders with Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia. It is the sixth-most populous member state of the European Union and a member of NATO. Poland has undergone significant political and social changes in the past few decades, transitioning from a communist government to a democratic one. Poland boasts a rich history and culture, with several UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the historic center of Kraków, Wieliczka Salt Mine, and the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Additionally, Poland is known for its delicious cuisine, including pierogi, kielbasa, and bigos. The country also has a thriving arts scene, with many famous artists, writers, and filmmakers emerging from Poland. Visitors can enjoy a range of outdoor activities, including hiking in the Tatra Mountains, relaxing on the beaches along the Baltic Sea, and exploring several national parks.

Being Poland

Being Poland offers a unique analysis of the cultural developments that took place in Poland after World War One, a period marked by Poland's return to independence. Conceived to address the lack of critical scholarship on Poland's cultural restoration, Being Poland illuminates the continuities, paradoxes, and contradictions of Poland's modern and contemporary cultural practices, and challenges the narrative typically prescribed to Polish literature and film. Reflecting the radical changes, rifts, and restorations that swept through Poland in this period, Polish literature and film reveal a multitude of perspectives. Addressing romantic perceptions of the Polish immigrant, the politics of post-war cinema, poetry, and mass media, Being Poland is a comprehensive reference work written with the intention of exposing an international audience to the explosion of Polish literature and film that emerged in the twentieth century.

Introduction to Poland