Wielki sztandar narodowy

The author of this essay puts forward the thesis that civic patriotism should be associated with action for the benefit of the community – regardless of nationality, race, class origin, political convictions or sexual orientation of its citizens – rather than with top-down celebrations of subsequent historical anniversaries. At the same time, the author argues that educational narratives about patriotism cannot escape political discourse. Education, like culture, cannot exist as an enclave, a neutral space beyond the power relations. Such thinking requires – according to the author – a change in the pedagogical perspective into a performative one and a change in the way of writing about culture and education going beyond the positivist and post-positivist framework. The author refers to the reflection of Norman K. Denzin and Yvonne S. Lincoln, and asserts that there is a need for educators who are close to the figure of a political bricoleur realising that there is no science free of value and at the same time seeking civic social science, whose basis is the “policy of hope”.