**2. The collected experiences of Polish intercultural education as a pedagogical (sub)discipline**

Although Polish intercultural studies have been developing only since the 1990s, they refer to a rich tradition and a well-developed network of notions concerning Polish education, elaborated by the leading scientific centres. In the second half of the twentieth century, these centres initiated and provided orientation to pedagogical research. Since then, they have also disseminated the research results of their studies in Poland and worldwide, contributing to the interdisciplinary view on this scientific discipline.

The theoretical studies and practical research into culturally diversified environments have been initiated and continued by three leading schools of scientific thought, conducting the studies in the Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian-Ukrainian borderland (Jerzy Nikitorowicz's team from the University of Białystok), the Polish-Czech borderland in Cieszyn Silesia (Tadeusz Lewowicki's team from the University of Silesia) and the Polish-German-Czech-Slovak borderland (Zenon Jasiński's team from the University of Opole). Intercultural studies are also conducted by university units (departments, chairs and teams) in Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Kraków, Lublin, Poznań, Toruń, Warsaw and Zielona Góra.

Contemporary societies search for solutions to many problems resulting, among other things, from the rapid development of the industrial-informational civilization. The size and nature of this phenomenon is shown by many researchers, who draw attention to the so-called *paradoxical socialization* [2]—people are forced to shape their own life without control over its determinants. This is related to the disintegration of the society into many fields of activity, which do not constitute any unity. The lack of moving around within a unified area of life imposes what is described as *biographical coordination of diversified behavioural logics* [2]*.* Moreover, tradition and family education are substituted by institutions, media and individual choices. Thus, conducting reliable intercultural education makes it possible to discover and understand oneself from the perspective of noticing and evaluating others. Its fundamental task is shaping the feeling of identity, understood as 'the subject's creative effort indispensable and necessary in the multicultural world, soothing the tensions and contradictions between the constant elements, which are inherited and result from social rooting in a family and local community, the identification with significant people and groups, indigenous symbols and values, and the changeable elements, which are acquired and result from interaction and the experience of participation in culture and social structures. Such understanding of identity opens to the dialogue of cultures, in which the mutual participation in the process of opening to each other is a source of power and raises the feeling of pride because of belonging to a particular group' [3–5].

58 New Pedagogical Challenges in the 21st Century - Contributions of Research in Education

As the approach promoted in Poland, the ideas and practice of intercultural education seem to deserve broader dissemination abroad. Partially, this has been taking place [6], yet the message of intercultural education should reach even more societies. It is important to act for this education, being fully aware that this is going to be a long process but that it will bring

These high expectations, requiring pedagogical optimism and the feeling of educational selfeffectiveness, might raise doubts and questions among intercultural educators why they are addressed to them. Obviously, these are obligations of all people responsible for education and moral shaping. Yet, special addressees are the communities that have a clear vision of education that brings people together, opens to others and their cultures: the communities

Although Polish intercultural studies have been developing only since the 1990s, they refer to a rich tradition and a well-developed network of notions concerning Polish education, elaborated by the leading scientific centres. In the second half of the twentieth century, these centres initiated and provided orientation to pedagogical research. Since then, they have also disseminated the research results of their studies in Poland and worldwide, contributing to

The theoretical studies and practical research into culturally diversified environments have been initiated and continued by three leading schools of scientific thought, conducting the

**2. The collected experiences of Polish intercultural education as** 

appropriate fruit as well.

with important experiences and achievements.

the interdisciplinary view on this scientific discipline.

**a pedagogical (sub)discipline**

Some universities implement didactic classes in intercultural education, students' internships concerning this education are also conducted, and there are students' research teams dealing with it. The issues of multiculturalism and intercultural education are frequently explored in BA and MA theses, as well as in doctoral or habilitation dissertations.

According to Tadeusz Lewowicki, the educational experiences and scientific output of the environments exploring intercultural education allow for formulating the opinion that these accomplishments can constitute the basis for elaborating a synthesis, comprising an outline of intercultural education as a pedagogical discipline. In contrast to the earlier cases of using the term intercultural education (in the German and English language literature) [7], when the name comprised some versions of multicultural education and/or only some issues typical of scientific disciplines were taken into account, in the current approach, there is a space for all fundamental components of a scientific discipline and the determinants of its viability [8]. In the case of Polish studies, the components of intercultural education are the following:


for noticing and understanding the originality and the primary sense of this field of education. In contrast to the typical (of other disciplines) view on the multitude of cultures existing »next to« each other, what is significant in intercultural education is the existence of cultures »together« – with mutual recognition, impact, and acceptance of other cultural influences. This is also a view, more and more close to sociology, on the multidimensional identity of the modern human (who keeps the bonds with the »little homeland«, region, state, society, Europe). This means admitting that, apart from the »given identity«, there can be and there is the »chosen identity«. These and many other issues should be subjected to a multisided (also pedagogical and sociological) observation […] Sociology, even without the undertakings aimed at social changes, provides an opportunity of »monitoring« educational activity, controlling its outcomes, and social perception. This increases the chances, to say it in the simplest way, for rational educational influence. The advantages of some interrelations with sociology are not one-sided. Intercultural education is a field for new observations and sociological analyses. This may be beneficial for both sociology and pedagogy, intercultural education' [10];

shaping and functioning of cultural identity in the triad: inherited identity (natural identity), acquired identity (identity of 'a role'), and 'Ego' identity (the subjectively felt, presented and implemented identity) [12]. For many years, the discussed theories and concepts have been successfully applied by intercultural researchers, for example, to design research

Intercultural Education in Poland: Experiences, Problems and Prospects

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• the historical and contemporary output of multi- and intercultural education has some comparative approaches and the approaches which constitute the syntheses of earlier accomplishments. Intercultural pedagogy has its roots, history and the whole presentations of the earlier stages. In compliance with the good tradition of humanities, it can be said that intercultural education has the memory concerning the output of the previous generations

• the condition of human resources engaged in intercultural education is worth attention. The number of researchers, scientific development, and the quality of works justify the belief that the situation of the staff contributes to a favourable prognosis for this scientific discipline. Over the last few decades, many valuable publications have come into being,

• the scientific environment dealing with intercultural education is well organized in terms of institutions. What seems to be a huge value is the integration and tight collaboration of researchers from many academic centres and annual scientific conferences. What should be also indicated are the traditions of joint undertakings of the Social Team for Research into Borderland Culture and Education, the Team for Pedagogy of Culture and Intercultural Education of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Association for Supporting Intercul-

• there are explicit and multisided interrelations between theory (theorists and researchers) and educational practice. Intercultural education fulfils the functions typical of sciences, which generate practical solutions. Social needs seem to affect the vitality—the research

Indicating the current most important problems and research orientations in intercultural education means also making an attempt at eliciting the fields of permanence and changeability in typical behaviour patterns in multicultural communities. These issues are worth the attention due to both cognitive and practical aspects, for example, the usefulness in shaping modern intercultural education. In this context, it seems important to carry out a critical analysis of the concepts of social, cultural and educational policy, which are formulated in Poland and in many other countries and which cause that many different solutions concern-

Not only the relatively long tradition of different varieties of multicultural education but also contemporary experiences confirm that, by protecting a particular culture, this education

scope, directions and methods—of intercultural pedagogy [5, 25–29].

**3. Current problems and research orientations**

ing education in multicultural societies are applied.

methodology and to interpret research results [13–24];

and that it subjects this output to critical analysis;

tural Education;

and some new orientations have appeared in the research;


shaping and functioning of cultural identity in the triad: inherited identity (natural identity), acquired identity (identity of 'a role'), and 'Ego' identity (the subjectively felt, presented and implemented identity) [12]. For many years, the discussed theories and concepts have been successfully applied by intercultural researchers, for example, to design research methodology and to interpret research results [13–24];

