Polish Social Pedagogy in the Stalinist Period (1945–1956)

Abstract

The social pedagogy is an important, specific part of the Polish pedagogy, with a unique character – since it began to emerge at the end of the 19th century in Polish lands. Although it developed very dynamically in the interwar period, both theoretically and institutionally and in terms of practical activities, after 1945 it experienced some great difficulties in returning to normal functioning in the scientific world, as did all the social sciences, considered by the new communist authorities to be dangerous for the “new” man and the society. The purpose of this article is an attempt to describe the situation of social pedagogy in Poland at the beginning of introduction of political, economic and social changes inspired by the ideology of communism in the so-called Stalinist period, i.e. between 1945 and 1956, with reference to the two currents in which it functioned at that time – one focused around the person and the concept of Helena Radlińska and one created on the borderline of pedagogy and social teaching of the Catholic Church.