Selected Views on the Origin of Polish Folk Culture

The origin of a given culture, including the folk culture, may be analysed in twofold way: 1) one may follow chronologically all the sources and influences which in the end made up a given culture (it requires, however, a lot of space); or 2) one may present the views on that origin appearing in the history of scientific thought (here: ethnology). Choosing the latter approach, the author dwells on selected, most important views expressed in Polish ethnology The author first analyses the romanticistic views on folk (peasants') culture, then the remarks on the concept of folk culture expressed by the selected representatives of ethnological thought: by Stanisław Poniatowski (1932), Jan S. Bystroń (1936 and 1947) and — more closely — by K. Dobrowolski (1958 and later works) in his integral-systematic approach. Finally, the author presents the assumptions and achievements of modern ethnology, stressing the structural and semiotic methods.Digitalizacja i deponowanie archiwalnych zeszytów RPEiS sfinansowane przez MNiSW w ramach realizacji umowy nr 541/P-DUN/201