Search

A language currently at the nexus of change is Kashubian (in Polish: "kaszubski"), a West Slavic language spoken in northern Poland in the province of Pomerania. Termed a "regional language" by the Polish government in preparation for the ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (signed in 2003 and ratified in 2008), it presents interesting parallels with other minority languages at different phases, in terms of its weak economic status and a history of repression. The impact of Poland's accession to the EU in 2004 and the Polish government's recent revitalisation initiatives will be explored. The views of three prominent Kashubian activists are considered as they reflect on the past, present and future of Kashubian. Issues considered include the changing status of Kashubian and the impact of such change on identity, the role of Catholicism in supporting Kashubian and the need for development in the spheres of literature and education. Of particular interest is a consideration of the effect on the language's visibility and status as a result of having a Kashub, Donald Tusk, become Prime Minister in October 2007, following decades of neglect and denial of Kashubian's status as a language under Communism, and he is one of those interviewed here. (Contains 4 notes.)

As 'self-law', autonomy contributes to people's psychological health and helps secure meaning in one's life. Within higher education, it enables students to navigate this environment and prepare for professional life, empowering them to take ownership of their learning and development goals. Autonomy is multidimensional, encompassing the local ability to regulate thoughts and behaviours, and the global ability to establish a sense of existential agency; therefore, it is vital to students' holistic progression and attainment. Within a relational context, interpersonal relationships influence people's ability to recognise and exercise their autonomous capacities across local and global contexts. Therefore, fostering students' autonomy is at the heart of support services within Higher Education Institutions. Student Advisers are well placed to undertake this mission, given the range of academic, administrative, and pastoral responsibilities their role entails. In this paper we provide a taxonomy of student autonomy, arguing it is 'becoming oneself amongst others'. Given autonomy's relational foundations, a healthy student-adviser connection can provide an environment for students to operate in a co-directive and self-determined manner. Drawing on University College Dublin's Student Advisory Services, we offer guidance to Student Advisers, proposing two autonomy enhancement strategies: fostering students' self-governance through facilitating intrapersonal ownership and fostering their self-direction by promoting interpersonal embeddedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irish Polish Society Yearbook is the property of Irish Polish Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)