Stereotype of the Pole in the Russian culture and society 3502-569

As part of the seminar it will be presented the stereotype of the Pole existing in the Russian literature and the film (1612, Bulba Terrace) and in the language (idioms, proverbs). There will also be introduced findings of sociological research concerning stereotypes of ethnic Russians, specially taking into consideration the stereotype of the Pole. It will be shown against the wider background of stereotypes functioning in the Russian society which are used towards indigenous inhabitants of Siberia, Caucasian highlanders, inhabitants of Central Asia. It is all the more essential that it is often of a drastic, practical character. We will also come to Russian political conceptions, specially taking into consideration the place and the image of Poland.
The classes are continuation of the seminar "Stereotype of the Russian". On the basis of the tools worked out in the previous semester there will be continued a research of the stereotype of the "Russki" in Poland.
We would like to think about what stereotype of the Pole and Poland is in the Russian society, why it has appeared and how it is functioning, in what fields it is particularly expressive, how it is changing, what consequences of these transformations can be - cultural, social etc. Who and what is strengthening this stereotype? We would like to analyse dynamics of transformations of this stereotype, specially taking into consideration the period after the fall of communist governments in Russia. (among others from the honourable country gentleman, through the Slav traitor, to the minion of the West and the NATO), peculiarly we will also outline religious division that is essential from a point of view of the Orthodox church. We will express the image of the Pole in various parts of the Empire. Because the image of the Pole is changeable this way amongst Russians in various parts of the Russian Federation, as well as it is different in feeling of people that live in the present Russia (Siberia, Caucasus). Special role was played here by exiles which already in the 17th century forcibly settled areas of Siberia, Asia and Caucasus. It is also reflected in the Russian literature (a figure of "the good Pole - Witkiewicz"). We will also describe the image of the Polish popular culture being in feeling of Russians a visiting card of Poland.
Classes will be carried on by Victoria Dunaeva, the IS UW doctoral student, the journalist dealing with issues of the post-Soviet states and Robert Wyszyński, Dr.