Chapter 12. What Europe means for Poland
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Knut Andreas Grimstad
Abstract
This chapter examines one of Poland’s most influential newspapers, Gazeta Wyborcza, and its front-page coverage of what is arguably the country’s most popular national holiday, Independence Day. Specific attention is given to how Gazeta’s writers discursively constructed a Polishness compatible with European values, both before and after the country’s EU admission. Within the newspaper’s Euro-Polish identity project, they reinforced the idea of a common past, present, and future, while introducing a concept of European supranationalism that, however, did not replace but instead served to complement Polish nationalism. Insofar as Gazeta gives space to many different voices, including those of its Euro-skeptic adversaries, its predominant strategy is one of inclusion.
Abstract
This chapter examines one of Poland’s most influential newspapers, Gazeta Wyborcza, and its front-page coverage of what is arguably the country’s most popular national holiday, Independence Day. Specific attention is given to how Gazeta’s writers discursively constructed a Polishness compatible with European values, both before and after the country’s EU admission. Within the newspaper’s Euro-Polish identity project, they reinforced the idea of a common past, present, and future, while introducing a concept of European supranationalism that, however, did not replace but instead served to complement Polish nationalism. Insofar as Gazeta gives space to many different voices, including those of its Euro-skeptic adversaries, its predominant strategy is one of inclusion.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Acknowledgements xiii
- Preface 1
- Discursive construction of national holidays in West and South Slavic countries after the fall of communism 5
-
Analyses
- Chapter 1. Collective memory and media genres 35
- Chapter 2. The quest for a proper Bulgarian national holiday 57
- Chapter 3. The multiple symbolism of 3 May in Poland after the fall of communism 81
- Chapter 4. “Dan skuplji vijeka,” ‘A day more precious than a century’ 101
- Chapter 5. Croatia in search of a national day 125
- Chapter 6. Contested pasts, contested red-letter days 149
- Chapter 7. Commemorating the Warsaw Uprising of 1 August 1944 171
- Chapter 8. Ilinden 191
- Chapter 9. Slovak national identity as articulated in the homilies of a religious holiday 213
- Chapter 10. The Czech and Czechoslovak 28 October 231
- Chapter 11. Disputes over national holidays 251
- Chapter 12. What Europe means for Poland 271
- References 297
- Appendix A. List of current laws on national holidays in West and South Slavic countries 311
- Index 313
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Acknowledgements xiii
- Preface 1
- Discursive construction of national holidays in West and South Slavic countries after the fall of communism 5
-
Analyses
- Chapter 1. Collective memory and media genres 35
- Chapter 2. The quest for a proper Bulgarian national holiday 57
- Chapter 3. The multiple symbolism of 3 May in Poland after the fall of communism 81
- Chapter 4. “Dan skuplji vijeka,” ‘A day more precious than a century’ 101
- Chapter 5. Croatia in search of a national day 125
- Chapter 6. Contested pasts, contested red-letter days 149
- Chapter 7. Commemorating the Warsaw Uprising of 1 August 1944 171
- Chapter 8. Ilinden 191
- Chapter 9. Slovak national identity as articulated in the homilies of a religious holiday 213
- Chapter 10. The Czech and Czechoslovak 28 October 231
- Chapter 11. Disputes over national holidays 251
- Chapter 12. What Europe means for Poland 271
- References 297
- Appendix A. List of current laws on national holidays in West and South Slavic countries 311
- Index 313
