The main goal of the Unit is theoretical reflection on the phenomena of contemporary culture, studied primarily through the reading of cultural texts, which makes  it possible to recognize and interpret the meta-level of the studied phenomena.

Cultural and social transformations resulting from the challenges of modern times (e.g., pandemic-induced economic crisis, transformation of values in culture, transformation of the media scene, invasion of new technologies, including the dynamic development of artificial intelligence, AI, etc.) become starting points for developing research perspectives. In our own research, we use a repertoire of qualitative and quantitative methods, and we also expand our instrumentarium with online tools. The research material for us is often cultural texts in the broad sense. Discourse analysis, as well as methods of sociology and visual anthropology are used to obtain the best possible interpretative perspective on the studied phenomena.

Four research paths are developed in our Unit: studies on convergence culture; analyses of culture of scarcity, threats, and fears; studies on culture facing the technological change; research on consumer culture and cultural contexts of consumption (https://ifispan.pl/en/socjologia/zaklad-teorii-kultury/). 

Team members: 

In 2024, three researchers work in the Unit: 

prof. dr hab. Urszula Jarecka (sociologist of culture), 
dr Anna Turner (sociologist focused on cybersociology and methodology)
dr Oksana Pochapska (media studies specialist).

Dr Anna Turner from is interested to serve as assistant supervisor (promotor pomocniczy) to GSSR PhD students (anna.turner@ifispan.edu.pl).