TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES AS 'SOCIAL WORLDS' UNDER CONDITIONS OF MULTICULTURALITY (Zbiorowosci terytorialne jako 'swiaty spoleczne' w warunkach wielokulturowosci)

The authoress discusses the problem of multiculturality of the rural communities in Podlasie in northeastern Poland. The region is inhabited by a population of different ethnic origin (Poles, Belorussians), language (Polish, Belorussian and local dialect), religion (Catholics, Orthodox) and social (peasants, descendants of small gentry). In the analysis she uses Anselm Strauss' concept of 'social worlds'; in the research itself she adopted Fritz Schütze's autobiographic narrative method. The discussion of the 'social worlds' (and cultural worlds at the same time) is illustrated with empirical material collected in three villages - Soce (a village mostly inhabited by Orthodox Belorussians), Olczewo (a village inhabited by Polish small gentry) and Pulsze (a Polish, Catholic village, inhabited by peasants and small gentry). The study led to the conclusion that the processes of accommodation and integration are faster in communities characterised by a similar social status, often irrespective of ethnic and religious differences. On the contrary, in communities with apparent social differences, the old divisions have remained, although they are not so strong as in the past.