Articles
On the Slovak and Polish research of popular literature
The aim of the article is to give the first and base characterization and comparison of research of popular literature and culture in Slovak and Polish national scientific contexts. There are many similarities but also differences in both national contexts dependent on different historical and cultural development.
Main differences are in the attitude of researching. As in Slovak literary scientific context the focus is in area of literary communication and aesthetics, the Polish conception is based on cultural and context understanding of popular literature, defining its own history, theory and research apparatus. Differentness is also in the definition of main categories, such as popular literature, culture, mass literature and mass culture.
In both national contexts the research has its own problems to deal with, in Slovak literary science there is a big need to open for interdisciplinary approach and to make the studies on popular literature fully appreciated part of research. In Polish context there is a need to create suitable methodology of research and to focus on the theory of popular literature as thanks to interdisciplinary approach there is a danger that popular literature will melt in popular culture studies.