History of the European Culture 4003-115HKE

1. Europe - that is not only a geographic conception or a political and economic existence; first of all Europe creates a common cultural space, a legacy which originate from different ancestors, sometimes very distant in time and space. My lectures have been devoted to crucial problems and indications of the European culture - presented from the historical perspective and in the chronological order. Ancient Greek and Latin origins are shown, as well as a role of the Roman Empire and its law order and customs, a crucial importance of the culture of so-called barbarians (Celts, Germans and Slavs); next a historical role of Christianity and a mediaeval and modern times (absolute) monarchy in the process of formation of the European identity. Examples of the "long duration" are presented in the field of fine arts, customs and mentality, but the essence of my lectures is a phenomenon of the mass-culture; results of processes of the standardization, americanization and the globalization the European civilisation, also.In conclusions I'm paying my attention to the culture policy in the different states of the European Union.

2. Culture has been interprated in many ways. Mostly as the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time. Or as a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business). In other words: culture represents all human products (creations) which are material as well as spiritual. To the sphere of culture belongs an art object as well as a skill of using a plough, a state's insitution as well as attainments of science, a custom of giving a place to sit down to elderly people as well as a custom of binding eyes to a men condemned to death (before his execution). Everything which doesn't belongs to n a t u r e creates
c u l t u r e.

3. In two ways I'm investigating described above the key topics to such understanding of culture: an objective (thematic) and chronological way, showing all the relations between it's three different levels: high culture (exclusive c.), folk culture (plebeian c.) and popular culture (mass c.). Showing a distant in time, an ancient beginnings of the Europan culture, making reference to Middle Ages and Modern Era, I'll focus on today's phenomenons: popular (mass) culture, process of americanization of European culture and ways to oppose it. Focusing on culture which shall be interpreted as an information network I'm paying a special attention on beginnings in the Modern Times of voluntary associations (associations for common purpose), such as academies of science, "learned" societaties, literary salons, cafe-hauses and masonic lodges. Since the end of the 17th century they played an unusual role in creating a transnational, paneuropean information network. It served not only the free, uncensored movement of scientic knowledge - and other intelectual values- but was also a value in itself. It was an invisible structure of future
united Europe already in the 18th century. And it creators were the firsts to shape the idea of Europe without barriers - and free of wars, also.

4. A question of a information network leads to a topic of modern media: cinema, radio and television in the 20th century and the triumph of Internet in the next century. One of the most important topics is a civilisation progress of the Second Polish Republic (since 1918), which political elits were taking a care to development of modern media. Hence not only an unusual role of radio broadcasting but also of television which passed in the first half of the year 1939 from a period of experiments to a period of a permanent tv emission. A question, whether a civilisation distance between Poland and Western world has been increased or - on the contrary - reduced after World War II - remains the crucial problem which ought to be discuss.

5. I'm finishing my lecture discussing a topic of science as leading part of 20th century culture. How are results of the modern scientic paradigm, with its leading mathematical and natural sciences, physics and biology especialy - is one of crucial questions which will be discuss during the intense dialog with students.

Students workload:
lecture - 30 h
preparation to the lecture - 30 h
preparation to exames - 60 h
total - 120 h