Introduction

The American press and American television news have been filled with stories from Gdansk, Warsaw, Krakow, Lódz, and other Polish cities and towns. The names of a number of Polish leaders have become almost as familiar to Americans as the names of their own leaders, and the word "Solidarity" has acquired an important new meaning for Americans as well as Poles.

Scholarly Interest

The editor's identify that this interest of the American public has not been matched by corresponding interest from American sociologists, stating that Polish society is seldom mentioned either in major scholarly journals or in the textbooks written for students.

Purpose of the Collection

This collection of studies seeks to address some of this issue, looking at works and the systems in Poland since 1956.