Lemkos in Poland. Identity construction

Thesis Lemkos in Poland. Identity building addresses the current situation of this ethnic minority. It focuses on the context of the language and, in particular, on the level of the common identity of Lemkos. On the basis of an analysis of informants interviews across the age and regional spectrum of this group, the work provides the main general criteria for a lemko identity. The fundamental characteristics of a Lemko's identity are its language and the extent of its competence. Religion in the form of the Christianity of the Eastern Church, the consciousness of common origin and history, the identification as a common ethnic group the sense of belonging to a common historical territory and group self-stereotyping also play a role in the consolidation of identity. The work also provides a brief historical excursus of the researchers interest in Lemkos and discusses the previous work on Lemkos's identity. Key words Lemkos, Poland, ethnic group, identity constructio