Poles in Defense of Latin Civilisation in Europe, 21ˢᵗ Century

Abstract

From the viewpoint of sociology of culture/nation, it is worth considering the problem of Poland's cultural identity in the context of today’s political changes. This study is carried out to point out measures to protect national identity and European civilization. The adopted approach is based on qualitative analysis of mass media communications (mainly Polish right-wing periodicals paying more attention to these issues) as well as related literature. For this study, we identify the determinants of Polish national identity, the related hazards, and protective measures. The importance of the Catholic Church was highlighted along with factors such as historical and literary traditions as well as chivalric code and independent ethos. The hazards are faced by entire Western Europe, in the context of the cultural war. The result shows that left-wing ideologies, popular in mass media, constitute a danger for the world of traditional, religious, and national values. Therefore, the protection of cultural heritage and identity requires the active involvement of the state and non-governmental institutions. On the other hand, threats originating from outside of the European civilization need to be considered. It is also necessary to support cultural heritage, implement appropriate historical policy, and patriotic education