Call for Papers
Tuesday, 30 August 2011 22:16

International Conference - Second Circulation of Publications in the Polish People’s Republic (PRL) against the History of Samizdat in the Countries of the Soviet Bloc after 1956 Warsaw, 31 May – 1 June 2012 r.

The Public Education Office of the Institute of National Remembrance organize international conference entitled “Second Circulation of Publications in the Polish People’s Republic (PRL) against the History of Samizdat in the Countries of the Soviet Bloc after 1956”. The conference will be held on 31 May – 1 June, 2012.

The aim of the conference is to reflect on the history of independent publishing movement in Poland, in the 70s and 80s, as compared to other Soviet bloc countries. Participation of researchers from the Polish and foreign scientific centers, representing various disciplines, will allow to describe the role of books and magazines, which were published in the second circulation, on the way to democratic change in 1989.

Second circulation publishing was one of the main forms of activity of the opposition in Poland in the 70s and 80s. Rarely, however, this phenomenon aroused wider interest of historians and other researchers. It is worth considering what role the illegally printed magazines and books played in the history of the democratic opposition and Solidarity Movement. One can also look from a broader perspective on the phenomenon of the second circulation publishing, examining them against the background of the history of samizdat in Central and Eastern Europe after 1956. The comparative perspective will allow to reflect on the similarities and differences in the functioning of the second circulation in each country. Particularly interesting are case studies, focusing on specific phenomena and mechanisms.

Proposed thematic sessions:

  1. Position of the Independent Publishing Movement in the Activities of the Democratic Opposition.
  2. Independent Publishing Movement in the System of Social Communication System in PRL and other Communist States of the Soviet Bloc.
  3. Daily Functioning of the Editorial, Publishing, Printing, and Distribution Systems of Independent Publications.
  4. The Activists of an Independent Publishing Movement as a Community.
  5. Social Perception of Illegal Publications.
  6. Definition Issues: Second Circulation Publishing, Samizdat, Independent Publications, Underground Publications, Publications with no Right of Circulation (pol. publikacje bezdebitowe).
  7. The Communist Authorities against the Independent Publishing Movement (legal issues, repression, surveillance, propaganda).

We cordially invite you to attend the conference, both as speakers and participants of the discussions. The conference will be held in Polish and English (with simultaneous translation). In the case of the presenters, the accommodation, meals, and travel expenses will be covered by the conference organizers.

The deadline for conference paper proposals (to be submitted on the attached form) is 6 January, 2012. Together with the proposal please enclose an abstract of 500–700 words, in English or Polish. The Conference Program will be finalized by 6 February, 2012.

Form (Word format)

Please send conference applications to:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
or
Anna Piekarska
Instytut Pamięci Narodowej
Biuro Edukacji Publicznej
Towarowa 28
00-839 Warszawa
POLAND
„Konferencja 2012”

Fax: +48.22.431.83.80

For additional information please contact:
Anna Piekarska – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Jan Olaszek – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 30 August 2011 22:41 )