Pomoc społeczna w świadomości mieszkańców miasta : analizy teoretyczne i empiryczne badania społeczności

Abstract

The present work refers to the problems contained within the research frames of numerous disciplines — sociology, social pychology, social politics. It shows the town inhabitants attitude toward the social assistance applied to the elder persons, invalids, ill, etc. These questions ane raised in connection with the reflections on the town problems, because the author is convinced that the knowledge of the subject is still incomplete. It refers in particular to the old quarters problems with their specific ecologico-social conditions, social structure, local colour. The point of departure was an assumption that the town inhabitants attitude toward the question of social assistance reflects in a measure the transformations of mentality involving the changes that take place in living conditions, in the social structure of the primary groups, as well as in the kind of social bonds generated by the industrialization and urbanization processes. The fundamental question raised by the investigation refers to the changes affecting the social perception of the protection problems, depending on the conditions prevailing in the old quarters of a large town, on the character of social links operating within the environment and in the dwelling quarter. The work is composed of two integral parts. The first one (chapters I—III) presents the problems under research in their theoretical and practical approach, shows the historical origins of the social assistance and protection, as well as the most essential theoretical and methodical issues arising from the up-to-date investigation of the town problems. This part is concluded with the hypothesis about the modifying influence of the situation prevailing in the dwelling quarter on the inhabitants attitude towards the formal and unformal (traditional) social assistance. The results of the inquiry (covering 400 persons) supplemented with the data obtained in conversations with the inhabitants and with some experts of social problems are presented in chapters IV—VI. The last chapter (VII) recapitulates the empirical results alnd attempts to place them in the more comprehensive context of the theory. The image of the inhabitants views, obtained this way, proves that the complete knowledge of the complex social reality of large towns must take into account in a more comprehensive scope the psychosocial and psychocultural aspect of the town societies life.