WHY WE ARE LIKE THIS. TOWARDS THE SEMIOTICS OF THE POLISH PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC - MAŁGORZATA LISOWSKA-MAGDZIARZ

Discover a fascinating journey into the depths of the popular culture of the Polish People's Republic! This book is the first attempt at a comprehensive socio-semiotic and media-studies description of this period. The author, Małgorzata Lisowska-Magdziarz, analyzes with extraordinary precision the programs of mass culture in real socialism, looking at cultural capital, tastes and needs of the recipients. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and sociology of Polish culture.

• In-depth analysis of the popular culture of the Polish People's Republic
• Socio-semiotic and media-studies approach
• Description of programs of mass culture in real socialism
• Analysis of cultural capital, tastes and needs of the recipients
• Description of the functioning of the semiotic apparatus of the Polish People's Republic
• Analysis of the press, television and radio programs, series and films
• Presentation of the adaptation of culture to one's own needs and reinterpretation

The book "Why we are like this" is not only an analysis, but also an invitation to reflect on how the culture of the large-scale industrial working-class and peasant society is reflected in our cultural habits, lifestyles, social divisions and political decisions. The author does not write about what Poles are like and why, but encourages to ask questions and think about how culture affects our daily lives.

Małgorzata Lisowska-Magdziarz looks at the functioning of the semiotic apparatus of the Polish People's Republic, such as cities, factories, housing estates, schools, churches, department stores and mass media. She analyzes the press, television and radio programs, series and films, parades and festivals, jokes and sayings, things, fashions, customs, places and events. It shows how people adapt culture to their own needs, reinterpret it, and even use it against itself.

From the review by prof. dr. habil. Marek Jeziński: "Why we are like this is the first attempt at a comprehensive socio-semiotic and media-studies description of popular culture in the Polish People's Republic. Małgorzata Lisowska-Magdziarz looks at the programs of mass culture in real socialism as well as the cultural capital, tastes and needs of its recipients."

This book is an invaluable source of knowledge for all those who want to understand the mechanisms of cultural development in the period of the Polish People's Republic and its impact on contemporary Polish society. It is a reading that provokes thinking and asking questions about our identity and roots.

Edition: Universitas, 2025. Number of pages: 768. Binding: paperback. Format: 241x167 mm.