W obronie krzyża. Rzecz o używaniu i nadużywaniu symboli w polityce

Abstrakt

In defense of the Cross. On the use and misuse of symbols in politics

Jaskułowski analyzes the role of symbols in politics and, as an example, he analyzes the so-called ‘defense of the cross’ at the Krakowskie Przedmieście. He concentrates on the specificities and mechanisms that govern symbolic and ritual actions, as well as their consequences. There are two tracks of interpretation: anthropological and psychological tracks. From an anthropological point of view, the defense of the Cross is considered as magical action of syncretic consciousness that characterizes the "confusion" of two ontological orders: causal and symbolic. From a psychological perspective, the defense of the Cross may be interpreted as an example of political engagement based on the abstract idea of the nation; the defense would be primarily undertaken due to the improvement of self-esteem by co-operating with positively assessed a group. Both tracks should also be analyzed in the context of rational elements in symbolic and ritual actions the problem of rationality was only briefly mentioned and requires further analysis.