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Polish Studies

About | People | Academics | Funding | Events | Copernicus Endowment | Internet Resources

CFP: Polish Studies in the 21st Century

About Polish Studies at the University of Michigan

The University of Michigan offers more Poland-related programs than any other educational institution in North America. Poland is prominently featured in U-M courses on its culture, film, history, language, literature, politics, and society, as well as in programs of the Center for Russian and East European Studies (CREES). With the country's accession to the EU in 2004, CREES programs on Poland are organized in collaboration with U-M's Center for European Studies-European Union Center. The Copernicus Endowment, located at CREES, supports lectures, symposia, mini-courses, Polish language instruction, undergraduate and graduate student fellowships, study abroad opportunities, and an annual newsletter (Kopernikana). CREES has developed close links with the Polish government and numerous educational institutions in Poland, including universities in Gdansk, Kraków, and Warsaw. With these resources and an outstanding permanent faculty whose primary focus is Poland, U-M attracts some of the best students from Poland and the U.S. who are preparing for careers in academia, business, environmental protection, higher education, government, and law.

Since 1980 the University of Michigan has hosted prominent political, cultural, and academic figures from Poland as part of the Annual Copernicus Lecture series. Prominent presenters in this series include Zbigniew Brzezinski, Timothy Garton-Ash, Henryk Górecki, Eva Hoffman, Kora Jackowska, Ryszard Kapuscinski, Leszek Kolakowski, Jacek Kuron, President Aleksander Kwasniewski, Adam Michnik, Czeslaw Milosz, Krzysztof Penderecki, Krzysztof Wodiczko, Krzysztof Zanussi, Adam Zagajewski, and many more.

For more information about Polish studies at the University of Michigan, contact:

Brian Porter-Szucs
Director of Polish Studies
Associate Professor
Department of History
University of Michigan
1029 Tisch Hall, 435 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1003
Phone: 734.764.6803
Fax: 734.647.4881
Email: baporter@umich.edu

Marysia Ostafin
Executive Director, Copernicus Endowment
Program Manager
Center for Russian and East European Studies
University of Michigan
1080 South University Ave., Suite 3668
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106
Phone: 734.647.2237
Fax: 734.763.4765
Email: mostafin@umich.edu

People

A diverse set of faculty, research associates, and staff contribute to the University of Michigan's training, research, and outreach activities in Polish studies. For more information, see CREES People.

University of Michigan Faculty

Carpenter, Bogdana Chetkowska:  Slavic Languages & Literatures
Eagle, Herbert J.:  Slavic Languages & Literatures
Gitelman, Zvi Y.:  Political Science, Judaic Studies
Grzymala-Busse, Anna:  Political Science
Jackson, John E.:  Political Science, Business
Michalowski, Piotr:  Near Eastern Studies
Pasek, Ewa:  Slavic Languages & Literatures
Paloff, Benjamin:  Slavic Languages & Literatures, Comparative Literature, Michigan Society of Fellows
Porter-Szucs, Brian:  History
Poskovic, Endi:  Art & Design
Robertson, Theodosia:  History, University of Michigan, Flint
Svejnar, Jan:  Business, Economics, Public Policy
Westwalewicz, Piotr:  Slavic Languages & Literatures
Zaborowska, Magdalena:  American Culture, Afroamerican and African Studies
Zubrzycki, Genevieve;  Sociology

CREES Research Associates

Chivens, Thomas:  Anthropology
Golebiowska, Ewa:  Political Science, Wayne State University
Kennedy, Michael D.:  Sociology and Watson Institute, Brown University
Stauter-Halsted, Keely:  History, Michigan State University

CREES Staff

Meloche, Sylvia
Ostafin, Marysia

Academics

Students can specialize in Polish studies within an interdisciplinary minor, bachelor's and master's degree programs, and a graduate certificate program in Russian and East European studies.The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures offers an undergraduate concentration in Polish and an academic minor in Polish language, literature, and culture. Students may also focus on Poland in selected minors and in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in anthropology, business, economics, history, law, natural resources, political science, public policy, Slavic languages and literatures, and sociology.

Courses

The University of Michigan offers a range of courses on Polish culture, film, history, language, literature, politics, and society. These include semester-long courses as well as annual mini-courses on Polish culture (see below). For offerings in specific terms, see CREES courses.

Study Abroad: Through the Office of International Programs, U-M students can earn in-residence credit for Polish language and area studies courses in semester- or academic-year study abroad at the CIEE Study Center in Warsaw. In recent years, CREES has offered short-term spring study tours (e.g., Encounters in Poland: Jews, Poles and Others, 2002; Many Polands: A History of Diversity in Northeastern Europe, 2005). Contact crees@umich.edu for information on planned offerings.

History 330 - Eastern Europe, 1500-1900
History 331 - Eastern Europe Since 1900
History 482 - Many Polands: A History of Diversity in Northeastern Europe
History 652 - Studies in East European History
History 752 - Seminar in Polish History
International Business 568 - Business Issues in Transitional Economies
First-Fourth Year Polish Language
Polish 314 - Polish Cinema
Polish 425 - Polish Literature in English to 1890
Polish 426 - Polish Literature in English: 1890 to Present
Polish 450 - Directed Reading
Polish 621/622 - Directed Reading in Polish Literature
Polish 832 - Seminar in Polish Literature
Political Science 445 - Eastern Europe: Revolution, Reaction, and Reform
Political Science 645 - Proseminar in Government and Politics of Eastern Europe
Political Science 744 - Seminar in Government and Politics of Eastern Europe
REES 396 - Survey of East Central Europe
REES 397 - The Political Economy of Transition
REES 410 - Polish Culture Mini-Course (see below)
STDABRD 463 - UM/CIEE at Warsaw School of Economics, Poland

Mini-Courses on Polish Culture

2009: Eastern Europe Between the Soviet Union and the European Union, Piotr Westwalewicz and Anna Grzymala-Busse (PDF)
2006-present: Revolution in the Attic: The Tradition of Polish Counter-Culture, Piotr Westwalewicz
2004-present: Rock Kills Communism: Dismantling of the Totalitarian State in Poland, Piotr Westwalewicz
2002: The Psychology of Ethnic Conflict: Poles, Jews, Ukrainians, Dr. John J. Hartman
2000: Television and Political Socialization of Youth Under Totalitarianism and Democracy, Dr. Adam Fraczak
1998-2000: Polish Cinema, Dr. Herbert J. Eagle
1997: Resource Management of the Baltic Sea, Dr. Anna Szaniawska
1996: Polish Film, 1945-1990, Tadeusz Sobolewski
1995: Polish Music: Composers, Art, & Politics, 1944-1994, Dr. Danuta Gwizdalanka
1994: Church, State, & Society in Democratic Poland, Dr. Marcin Król
1993: The Search for Self-Identity in Polish Literature, Dr. Dorota Gostynska
1992: The Intelligentsia & National Consciousness, Dr. Jerzy Jedlicki
1991: Poland: Law & Constitutional Reform in the Post-Communist '90s, Dr. Zbigniew Solbolewski
1990: Polish Art, Culture, & Politics from the 16th-18th Century, Dr. Tadeusz Chrzanowski
1989: Polish Culture & Politics, Dr. Piotr Wandycz
1988: Polish Literature & Culture in the 20th Century, Dr. Zdzislaw Najder

Funding

Copernicus Fellowship for Incoming Graduate Students in Polish Studies

Starting in 2003, CREES has solicited departmental nominations for the Copernicus Fellowship. This award is intended for an incoming doctoral or master's level student at the University of Michigan who expects to focus his/her graduate work on Polish studies. See CREES Student Funding for complete information about this award.

Copernicus Fellowship Recipients

2009-10: Jodi Greig (Slavic)
2008-09: Jessica Zychowicz (Slavic)
2007-08: Arielle Sokol (REES)
2005-06: Raymond Patton (History/REES)
2004-05: Alicja Kusiak (History)

Events

The Copernicus Endowment, based at CREES, supports lectures, conferences, film screenings, and other programs. Noteworthy events have included a semester-long Polish Music Festival in 1995, a conference on the Polish Round Table Negotiations in 1999, the Solidarity Conference in 2000, Aleksander Kwasniewski's residency in 2006, and a lecture and exhibition featuring Stasys in 2008 (see Peter Smith's photo from the exhibition opening).

For complete information about Polish studies events, please visit the CREES Events Calendar. You may also sign up for our email or U.S. mail notifications.

Selected Major Polish Studies Events

Polish Studies in the 21st Century - 3rd International Conference on Polish Studies

September 16-18, 2010 at the University of Michigan
Application Deadline January 15, 2009

Annual Copernicus Lectures

Since 1980, income from the Nicolaus Copernicus Endowment has supported the Annual Copernicus Lecture. These presentations at the University of Michigan have featured the rich variety of Polish intellectual and cultural life.

2009: David Ost, Magdalena Sroda, and Slawomir Sierakowski, "Poland since 1989: A Critical Appraisal" (PDF)
2008: Neal Ascherson, "Europe: Heir to the Ages or Pregnant Widow" (PDF), (video); Stasys Eidrigevicius (PDF), (Polish Times article)
2007: Krzysztof Czyzewski, "Line of Return: Cultivating 'the Borderland' in Dialogue with Czeslaw Milosz" (PDF)
2006: Zbigniew Libera, "How Artists are Tamed: Zbigniew Libera and the Polish Press, 1980-2005" (PDF)
2005: Adam Zagajewski, "Without End: A Poetry Reading by Adam Zagajewski" (JPG)
2004: Kora Jackowska, "Rock 'n' Roll Rebellion in Poland: An Interview with Kora Jackowska" (JPG)
2003: Father Stanislaw Obirek, "Intellectuals and Catholicism in Poland Today" (GIF)
2002: Krzysztof Wodiczko, "Pomnikoterapia: Memorial Therapy"
2001: Halina Filipowicz/Jadwiga Maurer, "Taboo Topics in Polish and Polish/Jewish Cultural Studies"
2000: "The Silences of Solidarity" A Conference; Bronislaw Geremek, "The Lessons of Solidarity"
1999: Adam Michnik, Aleksander Kwasniewski, Wieslaw Chrzanowski, et. al., "Communism's Negotiated Collapse: The Polish Round Table Ten Years Later"
1998: Eva Hoffman, "Shtetl: A History of Conflict and Coexistence"
1997: Roman Szporluk, "Poland's Role in Modern East European History"; Ryszard Kapuscinski, "The Russian Puzzle: Why I Wrote Imperium" (interview, Journal of the International Institute)
1996: Krzysztof Zanussi, "Gutenberg is Dead: Perspectives on a Spiritual Culture in a New Era of Communication"; Adam Michnik, "Central Europe after Communism"
1995: Krzysztof Penderecki/Henryk Górecki, "Interviews with the Composers"
1994: Wlodzimierz Zawadzki, "Polish Contributions to World Science"; Jacek Kuron, "An Interview with Jacek Kuron"
1993: The Lira Singers, "The Legacy of the Folk Melody in Poland's Music"; Czeslaw Milosz, "Poetry Reading"
1992: Jerzy Jedlicki, "Poland's Perpetual Return to Europe"
1991: Kazimierz Dziewanowski, "Poland in Transition: Reflections on a Democratic Tradition"
1990: Tadeusz Chrzanowski, "The Unique Path of Polish Art"
1989: Zbigniew Brzezinski, "Communism's Terminal Crisis"; Adam Michnik, "The Future of Socialism in Eastern Europe"
1988: Zdzislaw Najder, "Joseph Conrad after a Century"
1987: Timothy Garton-Ash, "Solidarity and the European Question"
1986: Piotr Wandycz, "Poland in World History: Inspiration or Troublemaker?"
1985: Czeslaw Milosz/Joseph Brodsky/Jan Skvorecky, "The Struggle for Cultural Survival"
1984: Andrzej Kaminski, "Sobieski's Victory at Vienna"
1983: Stanislaw Baranczak, "Independent Publishing in Poland"; Poetry Reading
1982: Czeslaw Milosz/Stanislaw Baranczak, "Two Centuries of Émigré Literature"
1981: Tola and Tymon Terlecki, "The Poetry of Jan Kochanowski"
1980: Leszek Kolakowski, "The Impossible Language of the Sacred"

Other Major Polish Studies Events

Supporting Polish Studies: The Copernicus Endowment

The Nicolaus Copernicus Endowment was established in 1973 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the great Polish astronomer's multifaceted genius. Initially created with the cooperation of students, faculty, and Polish-Americans of Michigan, the Copernicus Endowment is sustained today by the energy and financial assistance of hundreds of individual supporters. The principal goal of the Endowment is to enable faculty appointments, programming, and student fellowships in Polish studies. Income from the Endowment makes the Annual Copernicus Lecture possible, and ensures the continued scheduling of public events dedicated to advancing a deeper understanding of the people, culture, and politics of Poland.

To strengthen the Polish studies program already in place and to promote in perpetuity the study of this historically important and increasingly significant country, the Nicolaus Copernicus Endowment Committee reaches out to prospective donors for the realization of this goal.

For more information about how to support Polish studies and the Copernicus Endowment, contact Marysia Ostafin by email (mostafin@umich.edu or copernicus@umich.edu) or phone (734.647.2237).

Internet Resources

The following websites offer a starting place for information on Poland and Polish studies.

Selected Polish/Polish Studies Links

Curriculum Resources

Other Internet Resources