Poczucie obcości wśród swoich jako element biografii jednostek wielokulturowego i wielowyznaniowego Zaolzia

Abstract

Zaolzie is a borderland area of the Polish-Czech border where, due to various historical, cultural, ethnic and political conditions, multi-faith and inter-faith identity play a crucial role. The region and its people are characterized by the blurring of clearly defined categories such as “own” and “alien”. Nowadays there are more apparent similarities in modes of social life than differences; this results from everyday contacts between representatives of diverse ethnic and religious groups as well as from their fruitful cooperation. Nonetheless, a powerful process of assimilation among the Polish community is leading to a sense of alienation in the minds of its members and producing the Heidegger-like impression of “not being at home”. The author analyses various autobiographical documents from the standpoint of “alienation inscribed in the home”. Further, the author makes an attempt to answer the question of how and to what degree the religious diversity of Zaolzie correlates with its ethnic/national structure. She asks whether faith and Christian caritas could serve as a remedy for cultural alienation and be a step toward building positive attitudes to others, attitudes open to cooperation with people of good will.