Marcin K. Zwierżdżyński | Jesuit University Ignatianum in Kraków (original) (raw)
Papers by Marcin K. Zwierżdżyński
Sexuality Research and Social Policy
Introduction Previous research suggests that negative views on homosexuality are fostered by high... more Introduction Previous research suggests that negative views on homosexuality are fostered by higher levels of religiosity. Little is known, however, about what meanings religious people attribute to homosexuality, how these meanings connect with each other, what kind of network they form, and which of them are central. Methods The research was conducted in 2020, based on a representative sample of Polish Catholics (N = 874). Religiosity was determined using latent class analysis. Based on an investigation of press discourse in Poland, six meanings of homosexuality were identified as positive (orientation, love, fulfillment) and negative (sin, deviation, disease). Network analysis was used to determine the relationship between religiosity and the meanings attributed to homosexuality. Results The analyses showed that greater compliance of religious orientations with the Roman Catholic Church’s expectations translates into increased acceptance of negative meanings of homosexuality (pri...
Religion, Politics, and Values in Poland, 2016
The subject matter of the present issue of “Horizons of Politics” focuses on the problem that in ... more The subject matter of the present issue of “Horizons of Politics” focuses on the problem that in Poland public and academic debate does not have a long history, although it concerns matters undertaken within many disciplines: the social and political sciences, administration and management. The actions of public policy have only recently been treated by the institutions of the central and territorial government as a distinct field of knowledge and practice – increasing the likelihood that they are recognized as a spontaneous mobilization in order to access external funding rather than the result of well-considered strategy based on reliable data. Strengthening public policies in proven concepts of policy and rational management techniques can increase the effectiveness of interventions undertaken by the state, the main beneficiary of which is the state itself, but – above all – the society which the state has to serve. Public policies feed on the problems of society; they are a resp...
Religion and Human Rights, 2017
Religious education, understood as education about religion and seen as part of the general educa... more Religious education, understood as education about religion and seen as part of the general educational system, is perceived as a viable vehicle for promoting democratic values via spreading knowledge on religions and promoting mutual understanding, strengthening respect for religious freedom and diversity or civic values and norms. Does confessional religious education fulfil similar functions? This will be explored in the following, especially regarding confessional religious education in Poland. An analysis of the way human rights are understood and used in selected handbooks for religious education of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Pentecostal Churches sheds light on this topic.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The scientific goal of the article is to analyze the studies of textbooks for... more RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The scientific goal of the article is to analyze the studies of textbooks for teaching religion in terms of used methodology, and to understand the nature of the sociological content analysis in the perspective of teaching materials used in religious education. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The problem and research methods are based on the paradigm of constructionism, which describes the social reality as a "network of meanings." The analysis of the textbooks studies is based on content analysis of research results and research problem concerns the understanding of the specifics of this research technique with respect to the religious educational materials. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The process of reasoning runs from the outline of the methodological assumptions, definition of the specificity of school textbooks, the analysis of the religious education textbooks studies, to the presentation of the specifics of the content analysis focused on cod...
Research objective: The aim of the article is to analyse selected sociological theories of legiti... more Research objective: The aim of the article is to analyse selected sociological theories of legitimation. The research objective is to provide an answer to the question about the meanings and functions of legitimation in the process of the discursive construction of social order. The research problems and methods: Legitimation is analysed in the text both as a concept describing a specific state of social reality (static approach) and as a discursive strategy in which language plays a dominant role (dynamic approach). The main research method used in the text is a content analysis of selected sociological concepts of legitimation. The process of argumentation: The first part presents the meaning of legitimation in a static approach, which depends on the theoretical paradigm used. The second part presents an analysis of the interactionist-phenomenological concept of legitimation, which reveals its basic function as an element within the construction of social order. In the third part,...
The aim of the article is a multi-level analysis of the strategic management system of developmen... more The aim of the article is a multi-level analysis of the strategic management system of development policy in Poland, with particular emphasis on the challenges faced, and recommendations concerning its improvement. The article consists of eight parts: an introduction (definition of the development policy management system and the concept of strategy), an historical outline (the formation of development policy in Poland after 1990), the institutional context (an indication of the main actors of development policy in Poland), the legal basis (an overview of the key regulations on which the Polish system of development strategies is based), strategic documents (analysis of the major strategic guidelines and development strategies: national and sectoral), and the implementation instruments (mainly programmes: operational, long-term and provincial). In the penultimate section, I present 10 challenges facing the Polish system of development policy management, together with recommendations...
Euthanasia, Abortion, Death Penalty and Religion - The Right to Life and its Limitations, 2018
This article compares attitudes towards abortion and euthanasia in two countries with different C... more This article compares attitudes towards abortion and euthanasia in two countries with different Christian traditions. Poland is a former communist country with a strong Catholic tradition. Norway is a highly secularized Scandinavian country with a dominating Lutheran Church. The two countries have different legal frameworks regarding abortion and euthanasia. We aim here to investigate the connection between religion and attitudes towards abortion and euthanasia. Our methodological approach is “most different systems design”. If one finds similar patterns in countries with different religious and political cultures, there is reason to believe that the findings will also apply to other countries. Though the two countries differ with respect to political and religious culture, we find interesting similarities between them. In both countries, religiosity has a negative impact on attitudes towards abortion and euthanasia; this means that the most religious people also have the most negat...
Fragment Wiele jest w naukach spolecznych pojec, ktore mozna by nazwac paronimami – wystar
Religion and Human Rights, 2019
TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 2018
Religion and Human Rights, 2019
This article compares students’ attitudes towards human rights in countries with different religi... more This article compares students’ attitudes towards human rights in countries with different religious traditions, namely Lutheran-dominated Scandinavian countries and Christian Orthodox countries in the eastern part of Europe. The four countries involved in this study are Belarus, Romania, Norway and Sweden, and our focus is on students’ attitudes towards human rights—especially reproductive health and women’s rights. The effect religion has on attitudes to such rights is a central part of our analysis. In addition, the article will examine the relationship between trust in institutions and support for human rights. Previous studies report that trust in institutions correlates positively with values that stress stability, protection, and preservation of traditional practices, correlating negatively with values that emphasise independent thought and change. On this basis we expect that trust in governmental institutions will have different effects in countries with democratic and authoritarian regimes.
The Routledge International Handbook of Religious Education, 2006
The New Educational Review
Space exploration is currently gaining momentum. This interest is crucial for attracting students... more Space exploration is currently gaining momentum. This interest is crucial for attracting students to space sciences. We present the results of a qualitative and quantitative study on space exploration perception among university students. Our study showed that participants are interested in space sciences, but their intention to engage in space education is low. Female and male students did not differ in terms of general attitude and interest in space and were equally (not) likely to engage in space education and career. Our findings have practical value for designing interventions to enhance students’ engagement in space education.
The Ambivalent Impact of Religion on Human Rights
The attitudes and evolution of views of various religious organizations on human rights are well ... more The attitudes and evolution of views of various religious organizations on human rights are well recognized in scholarly work. However, research on the potential links connecting religious views, beliefs and identities with perceptions of and support for human rights seems to be far less developed. This paper aims to bridge this gap. The paper examines the relationship between religiosity and religious background (belonging or not) and perception of and support for socio-economic human rights. We are interested in finding the similarities and differences between countries with comparable socio-political history, particularly the experience of (post)communism, and a religious composition marked by the dominant role of the Roman Catholic Church. The article is based on empirical material collected using a survey conducted among high-school pupils in Poland and Lithuania.
Polityka publiczna
Celem artykułu jest wielopoziomowa analiza systemu strategicznego zarządzania polityką rozwoju w ... more Celem artykułu jest wielopoziomowa analiza systemu strategicznego zarządzania polityką rozwoju w Polsce ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem wyzwań, przed którymi stoi, oraz rekomendacji w zakresie jego usprawnienia. Artykuł składa się z ośmiu części: wprowadzenia (zdefiniowanie systemu zarządzania polityką rozwoju i pojęcia strategii), rysu historycznego (formowanie się polityki rozwoju w Polsce po roku 1990), kontekstu instytucjonalnego (wskazanie na głównych aktorów polityki rozwoju w Polsce), podstaw prawnych (omówienie najważniejszych regulacji, na których opiera się polski system strategii rozwoju), dokumentów strategicznych (analiza najważniejszych wytycznych strategicznych oraz właściwych strategii rozwoju: ogólnopolskich i sektorowych) oraz instrumentów wdrożeniowych (głównie programów operacyjnych, wieloletnich i wojewódzkich). W przedostatniej części, poprzedzającej zakończenie, przedstawiono 10 wyzwań, przed którymi stoi polski system zarządzania polityką rozwoju, wraz z rekomendacjami, które pozwolą na stawienie im czoła.
Konstruowanie znaczeń religii w szkole. Analiza rzymskokatolickich, prawosławnych i zielonoświątkowych podręczników do katechezy w Polsce, Kraków: Nomos, 428 s. (in Polish), Dec 2014
Sexuality Research and Social Policy
Introduction Previous research suggests that negative views on homosexuality are fostered by high... more Introduction Previous research suggests that negative views on homosexuality are fostered by higher levels of religiosity. Little is known, however, about what meanings religious people attribute to homosexuality, how these meanings connect with each other, what kind of network they form, and which of them are central. Methods The research was conducted in 2020, based on a representative sample of Polish Catholics (N = 874). Religiosity was determined using latent class analysis. Based on an investigation of press discourse in Poland, six meanings of homosexuality were identified as positive (orientation, love, fulfillment) and negative (sin, deviation, disease). Network analysis was used to determine the relationship between religiosity and the meanings attributed to homosexuality. Results The analyses showed that greater compliance of religious orientations with the Roman Catholic Church’s expectations translates into increased acceptance of negative meanings of homosexuality (pri...
Religion, Politics, and Values in Poland, 2016
The subject matter of the present issue of “Horizons of Politics” focuses on the problem that in ... more The subject matter of the present issue of “Horizons of Politics” focuses on the problem that in Poland public and academic debate does not have a long history, although it concerns matters undertaken within many disciplines: the social and political sciences, administration and management. The actions of public policy have only recently been treated by the institutions of the central and territorial government as a distinct field of knowledge and practice – increasing the likelihood that they are recognized as a spontaneous mobilization in order to access external funding rather than the result of well-considered strategy based on reliable data. Strengthening public policies in proven concepts of policy and rational management techniques can increase the effectiveness of interventions undertaken by the state, the main beneficiary of which is the state itself, but – above all – the society which the state has to serve. Public policies feed on the problems of society; they are a resp...
Religion and Human Rights, 2017
Religious education, understood as education about religion and seen as part of the general educa... more Religious education, understood as education about religion and seen as part of the general educational system, is perceived as a viable vehicle for promoting democratic values via spreading knowledge on religions and promoting mutual understanding, strengthening respect for religious freedom and diversity or civic values and norms. Does confessional religious education fulfil similar functions? This will be explored in the following, especially regarding confessional religious education in Poland. An analysis of the way human rights are understood and used in selected handbooks for religious education of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Pentecostal Churches sheds light on this topic.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The scientific goal of the article is to analyze the studies of textbooks for... more RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The scientific goal of the article is to analyze the studies of textbooks for teaching religion in terms of used methodology, and to understand the nature of the sociological content analysis in the perspective of teaching materials used in religious education. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The problem and research methods are based on the paradigm of constructionism, which describes the social reality as a "network of meanings." The analysis of the textbooks studies is based on content analysis of research results and research problem concerns the understanding of the specifics of this research technique with respect to the religious educational materials. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The process of reasoning runs from the outline of the methodological assumptions, definition of the specificity of school textbooks, the analysis of the religious education textbooks studies, to the presentation of the specifics of the content analysis focused on cod...
Research objective: The aim of the article is to analyse selected sociological theories of legiti... more Research objective: The aim of the article is to analyse selected sociological theories of legitimation. The research objective is to provide an answer to the question about the meanings and functions of legitimation in the process of the discursive construction of social order. The research problems and methods: Legitimation is analysed in the text both as a concept describing a specific state of social reality (static approach) and as a discursive strategy in which language plays a dominant role (dynamic approach). The main research method used in the text is a content analysis of selected sociological concepts of legitimation. The process of argumentation: The first part presents the meaning of legitimation in a static approach, which depends on the theoretical paradigm used. The second part presents an analysis of the interactionist-phenomenological concept of legitimation, which reveals its basic function as an element within the construction of social order. In the third part,...
The aim of the article is a multi-level analysis of the strategic management system of developmen... more The aim of the article is a multi-level analysis of the strategic management system of development policy in Poland, with particular emphasis on the challenges faced, and recommendations concerning its improvement. The article consists of eight parts: an introduction (definition of the development policy management system and the concept of strategy), an historical outline (the formation of development policy in Poland after 1990), the institutional context (an indication of the main actors of development policy in Poland), the legal basis (an overview of the key regulations on which the Polish system of development strategies is based), strategic documents (analysis of the major strategic guidelines and development strategies: national and sectoral), and the implementation instruments (mainly programmes: operational, long-term and provincial). In the penultimate section, I present 10 challenges facing the Polish system of development policy management, together with recommendations...
Euthanasia, Abortion, Death Penalty and Religion - The Right to Life and its Limitations, 2018
This article compares attitudes towards abortion and euthanasia in two countries with different C... more This article compares attitudes towards abortion and euthanasia in two countries with different Christian traditions. Poland is a former communist country with a strong Catholic tradition. Norway is a highly secularized Scandinavian country with a dominating Lutheran Church. The two countries have different legal frameworks regarding abortion and euthanasia. We aim here to investigate the connection between religion and attitudes towards abortion and euthanasia. Our methodological approach is “most different systems design”. If one finds similar patterns in countries with different religious and political cultures, there is reason to believe that the findings will also apply to other countries. Though the two countries differ with respect to political and religious culture, we find interesting similarities between them. In both countries, religiosity has a negative impact on attitudes towards abortion and euthanasia; this means that the most religious people also have the most negat...
Fragment Wiele jest w naukach spolecznych pojec, ktore mozna by nazwac paronimami – wystar
Religion and Human Rights, 2019
TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 2018
Religion and Human Rights, 2019
This article compares students’ attitudes towards human rights in countries with different religi... more This article compares students’ attitudes towards human rights in countries with different religious traditions, namely Lutheran-dominated Scandinavian countries and Christian Orthodox countries in the eastern part of Europe. The four countries involved in this study are Belarus, Romania, Norway and Sweden, and our focus is on students’ attitudes towards human rights—especially reproductive health and women’s rights. The effect religion has on attitudes to such rights is a central part of our analysis. In addition, the article will examine the relationship between trust in institutions and support for human rights. Previous studies report that trust in institutions correlates positively with values that stress stability, protection, and preservation of traditional practices, correlating negatively with values that emphasise independent thought and change. On this basis we expect that trust in governmental institutions will have different effects in countries with democratic and authoritarian regimes.
The Routledge International Handbook of Religious Education, 2006
The New Educational Review
Space exploration is currently gaining momentum. This interest is crucial for attracting students... more Space exploration is currently gaining momentum. This interest is crucial for attracting students to space sciences. We present the results of a qualitative and quantitative study on space exploration perception among university students. Our study showed that participants are interested in space sciences, but their intention to engage in space education is low. Female and male students did not differ in terms of general attitude and interest in space and were equally (not) likely to engage in space education and career. Our findings have practical value for designing interventions to enhance students’ engagement in space education.
The Ambivalent Impact of Religion on Human Rights
The attitudes and evolution of views of various religious organizations on human rights are well ... more The attitudes and evolution of views of various religious organizations on human rights are well recognized in scholarly work. However, research on the potential links connecting religious views, beliefs and identities with perceptions of and support for human rights seems to be far less developed. This paper aims to bridge this gap. The paper examines the relationship between religiosity and religious background (belonging or not) and perception of and support for socio-economic human rights. We are interested in finding the similarities and differences between countries with comparable socio-political history, particularly the experience of (post)communism, and a religious composition marked by the dominant role of the Roman Catholic Church. The article is based on empirical material collected using a survey conducted among high-school pupils in Poland and Lithuania.
Polityka publiczna
Celem artykułu jest wielopoziomowa analiza systemu strategicznego zarządzania polityką rozwoju w ... more Celem artykułu jest wielopoziomowa analiza systemu strategicznego zarządzania polityką rozwoju w Polsce ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem wyzwań, przed którymi stoi, oraz rekomendacji w zakresie jego usprawnienia. Artykuł składa się z ośmiu części: wprowadzenia (zdefiniowanie systemu zarządzania polityką rozwoju i pojęcia strategii), rysu historycznego (formowanie się polityki rozwoju w Polsce po roku 1990), kontekstu instytucjonalnego (wskazanie na głównych aktorów polityki rozwoju w Polsce), podstaw prawnych (omówienie najważniejszych regulacji, na których opiera się polski system strategii rozwoju), dokumentów strategicznych (analiza najważniejszych wytycznych strategicznych oraz właściwych strategii rozwoju: ogólnopolskich i sektorowych) oraz instrumentów wdrożeniowych (głównie programów operacyjnych, wieloletnich i wojewódzkich). W przedostatniej części, poprzedzającej zakończenie, przedstawiono 10 wyzwań, przed którymi stoi polski system zarządzania polityką rozwoju, wraz z rekomendacjami, które pozwolą na stawienie im czoła.
Konstruowanie znaczeń religii w szkole. Analiza rzymskokatolickich, prawosławnych i zielonoświątkowych podręczników do katechezy w Polsce, Kraków: Nomos, 428 s. (in Polish), Dec 2014