„Oh, utopias, fairy tales”. The Sokoliczczyzna and interwar cultural policy

Abstract

The text explores Antonina Sokolicz’s role as an important female voice in left-wing literary criticism and the broader „Sokoliczczyzna” which sheds light on the now-forgotten engagement of socialist women in the interwar period. Soko­licz, the author of Pięść, viewed her literary and artistic endeavors as aligned with the idea of participatory education through the (self-)organization of folk communities. The presentation of local and emigrant Sokolicz’s activities aims to reveal the connection between literary criticism and didactic practices. While it may be tempting to perceive the author of O kulturze artystycznej proletariatu as a party activist using vulgar sociology and negatively interpreted idealism, her actions are compli­cated by patriotic themes and calls for cultural continuity, contrary to Soviet ideals. Sokolicz’s initiatives primarily aimed at establishing universal, egalitarian, and grassroots educational institutions. Understanding her critical literary texts today requires considering this broader context.