Students attitude towards multicultural heritage of Wrocław

Transcription

1 Prof. Stanislaw W. Kłopot, dr Paweł Czajkowski Institute of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Wrocław University Students attitude towards multicultural heritage of Wrocław The Memory of Vanished Population Groups in Today s East- and Central European Urban Environment. Memory Treatment and Urban Planning in L viv, Černivci, Chişinău and Wrocław

2 Empirical note High School students survey Surveys carried out in the year 2011 Scope all schools, all types, eldest students (last classes, of age) Two different techniques audit questionnaire, picture test Finally in two measurements 512 and 514 respondents University students survey Surveys carried out in the year 2013 Six biggest universities (49% University of Wrocław, 51% other universities) Purposeful group sample audit questionnaire Results cannot be extended to entire student population of Wrocław Finally 329 respondents

3 Keynote issues Multiculturalism of Wrocław The Quarter of Four Denominations Lviv myth in Wrocław History as an element of social memory

4 Research assumptions and hypothesis Students of humanistic fields of study and of comprehensive type of school should have better knowledge about the city history and city s multicultural heritage Students born and raised in Wrocław have better knowledge of the city history Students with at least one parent having university degree have better knowledge of the city history The increase in cultural competence influences positive attitude to material multicultural heritage of Wrocław

5 Multicultural Wrocław

6 High Schools - Is a multiculturalism of Wroclaw something desirable or undesirable? Valid % of N according to type of school category comprehensive %ofn=248 technical %ofn=167 no opinion unwanted comprehensive/vocational %ofn=57 desired vocational %ofn=

7 High Schools - Is a multiculturalism of Wroclaw something desirable or undesirable? Valid % of N according to gender category desired unwanted no opinion female %ofn=222 male %ofn=272 general %ofn=494

8 High Schools - Which of the features reflect the multicultural character of the city? valid % according to Is a multiculturalism desirable or undesirable? category many religious, social and cultural organisations international festiwals, conferences, events foreign students different nations and statetes in the past international corporation different religious community no opinion %ofn=187 unwanted %ofn=56 desired %ofn=246 many foreign tourists foreigners in Wroclaw

9 The Quarter of Four Denominations

10 Social and Sociological Significance of The Four Temples District The example of how the history can build a new symbols of the city space New ideas inscribed in symbolic and material space The phenomenon of the District became attractive for the City Council The District is not an emanation of Wrocław's history but is symbolic project invented recently as projection of the history

11 High Schools - How the name of the Quarter was created? (according to how often in a school are discussed topics related to former multiculturalism of Wroclaw? valid % of N in category) created by city authorities to show complicated history created by religious community created by city authorities for promotion never N=74 rarely N=269 official name of the maps and documents often N=37 unofficial name

12 Comparison - The origin of the name Quarter of Four Denominations 70,0 60,0 50,0 40,0 30,0 Inhabitants (% N=546) High school students (% N=381) University students (% N=288) Elite (% N=48) 20,0 10,0 0,0 common, unofficial authority for promotion religious community old official name I don't know Majority of students were aware of their lack of knowledge or provided false information about the origin of the Quarter of Four Denominations.

13 High Schools - If you remember, indicate the temples in the Quarter. Valid % of 'yes responses for N in each category due to the type of respondents school comprehensive N=253 technical N=175 Orthodox Church voc. comprehensive N=59 Catholic Church Protestant Church vocational N=25 White Stork Synagogue

14 Dimensions of Four Temple District space significance in Wrocław Historical - significant space is a point of reference to the collective identity of different nations Social collective identity reconstruction means that each community creates its own interpretation of the history Material/architectural the material heritage included in urban arrangements, architecture, buildings, public objects

15 Lviv Myth in Wrocław

16 High Schools - Why there are so many objects from Lviv in Wroclaw? comprehensive N=170 Technical N=110 voc./comprehensive N=35 there was no suitable space for it in other cities Wroclaw elite comming from Lviv strive for it settlers of this town brought it with themselves vocational N=11 0,0 20,0 40,0 60,0 80,0

17 University Students - The conviction about the Lviv's origin of Wrocław inhabitants I do not know 37,1 Lviv institutions were transfered to Wrocław 14,9 Lvivian were the elite in Wrocław 32,5 Because it was like that 15, Only every third student correctly identified the sources of Lviv myth or in the other words activity of scientific and cultural elites of Lviv origin in post IIWW Wrocław

18 History as an Element of Social Memory

19 University students - Is history of Wrocław and its inhabitants important for you? ,8 31, , ,7 0:Not important at all 6, : very importanmt 45% of surveyed students declared that history of the city is important and very important

20 Imagine that Wroclaw authorities must make a choice: preserve historical object or demolish if necessary, valid % of N in categories due to the type of respondents school 80,0 70,0 60,0 preserve destroy 50,0 40,0 30,0 20,0 10,0 0,0 vocational N=24 voc./comprehensive N=57 technical N=171 comprehensive N=246

21 University students - The nationality that influences the most the appearance of Wrocław until 1939 Other answer 1,2 Every nation a bit 15,2 Germans 75,9 Poles 2,7 Jews 3,4 Czechs 1,

22 High Schools - If you are in any historical part of the city, what do you pay attention on? (according to the type of school: valid % of 'yes' response of N in category) don't pay attention, it's only surroundings the way of integration with buildings cultural significance, symbolic comprehensive %ofn=245 technical %ofn=164 voc./comprehensive %ofn=57 vocational %ofn=25 appearance, aesthetics on current use architectural style 0,0% 10,0% 20,0% 30,0% 40,0% 50,0% 60,0% 70,0%

23 High Schools - Are there any conflicts connected with Wrocław and its heritage?, valid % of N in each category due to the type of school of respondents comprehensive N=187 yes, because after WWII german traces in the city were blured technical N=120 yes, Poles forget about the role of the Germans, Jews and Czechs in the history of this city voc./comprehensive N=44 yes, each of the nationalities of former Wrocław writes its own history of this city vocational N=14 no 0,0 10,0 20,0 30,0 40,0 50,0

24 University students Do You agree with the opinion that Restoring the memory about old Wrocław and its inhabitants is/means % of yes responses of N=329...is a hidden attempt of germanization of inhabitants awareness 64...is a hidden attempt of Jews to recover material goods 63,2...diminishes local patriotism and attachment of current inhabitants to the city 65,7...is symbolic attempt to appropriate urban space by Jews 60,8...weakens sense of inveteracy of current Polish inhabitants of the city 62,9...brings the sense of political and social instability of the Polish inhabitants of the city 58,8...is necessary for identity of inhabitants and identity of the city 14,3

25 Conclusions Despite the declarations about the importance of history, including history of Wrocław, students did t have the significant knowledge about the city past and its multicultural heritage Despite assumptions, students of humanistic fields of study did not present the higher level of knowledge about the city history in comparison to other students The students show respect for the places/buildings/objects of historical value but they are not interesting in the detailed history of the city Their attitude toward Germans negatively infleunces their opinion about the restoration of memory about old inhabitants of Wrocław and material cultural heritage of the city. History of the city although used by elite to build a local identity is not known enough to be a basis for historical memmory

26 Further assumption and hypothesis Architectural heritage of Wrocław, like in other big cities, can construct a local identity of inhabitants and can be a part of collective memory but in a specific way in Wrocław It can also be an indicator of participation forms in symbolic space, which already is an integral element of identity building There are a significant differences in the functioning of the historical memory, between students and other social groups For elites, historical memory can become an element of purposeful and relatively planned activities (not necessarily consistent) reaching the selected topics of the city history, aiming to construct a particular image of the city In the case of students, historical memory has more spontaneous and visibly inconsistent nature based on superficial historical references, short-term social and political contexts, often constructed on the basis of stereotypes and prejudices

27 Thank for your attention