Acta Poloniae Historica T. 117 (2018)

The first four decades of the twentieth century saw an intense development in the Polish lands of educational sciences and social policy sciences. A role of importance in the development of the underlying theory for these scientific domains and in the pursuit of pioneering empirical studies fell to a group of women who combined their intellectual interests and scientific research with activities in the fields of education and social work. This article seeks to outline their scholarly achievements (until 1939) and point to the specificity of their effort: none of them pursued a ‘classical’ academic career comprehended in terms of getting employed and promoted by a university. Their formative experience consisted in studying abroad and obtaining their doctoral degrees there. Migrations and membership in (or contribution to) international scientific organisations enabled them to deepen their knowledge and present their theories in the international forum whilst also making them acquainted with the academic models functioning in West European countries in the context of female participation. The personal histories of Polish female scholars researching into education and social history show the ‘typical’ experience of reluctance and arbitrariness of the academic circles, male-dominated as they were at that time when gender weighed high on career-seeking in science. This implied search for strategies and areas of activity which enabled to participate in the world of science. Pursuance of research, in selected areas, and publication of scholarly texts was enabled through the cooperation with organisations which welcomed female experts such as those employed (for example) with ministries; the Polish Society for Social Policy was one such organisation. In spite of multiple hindrances and restrictions, those female scholars who got employed on a full-time basis with academies which were ‘alternative’ to the traditional universities – the Institute of Special Pedagogy, the State Institute of Teachers, and primarily, the Free Polish University – enjoyed the most favourable conditions of work.

s. 95-129 ; 23 cm

p. 95-129 ; 23 cm