IMC 2023: Sessions

Paper -a:
The interdisciplinary studies dedicated to genesis of early state organization, origo gentis and specifically social rites used to legitimizing of high medieval power structures refers to the rich historiographic tradition and many model conceptions. Actually the main attention is attracted by extralinear and extra-evolutionistic depiction referring to the processes of stabilisation and destabilisation of authority, presented by such scholars as Walter Pohl or Timothy Early, the group of evolutionistic conceptions (allochtonic and autochtonic conceptions) and wide current of anthropogising. Of particular interest in this case is both the group of model concepts that refer to the problems of state formation in the area in question, as well as the discussion on the ways of defining basic concepts (such as authority, state, chieftain system, early state, patrimony) in their terminological, methodological and cultural aspects. In the case of the studies mentioned above, attention should be paid both to the historiographical attachment to the state-centred and evolutionary scheme of state formation 'from tribe to the state', as well as the search for unambiguous criteria that indicate the emergence of a permanent state organization, often also in its ethnopolitical dimension. The above mentioned mechanism of perceiving the past on terminological grounds may refer primarily to the understanding of such notions as regnum, gens or ecclesia. as in the sources they are observed primarily at the level of successive transformations that lead to an ex post observation. Actually studies indicate that they can be seen with reference to the changes that take place within the power elites for whom political-kinship relations and the internal hermetic nature of the structure were of paramount importance, as they referred to the phenomena that consolidated the above-mentioned group, such as amicitia, coniuratio, convivia or deditio. At the same time, it was them, along with a group of transformations that led to the creation of dependency network between the members of the said community, that determined the shape of political culture of the time, which was primarily an expression of oligarchic consensus, the implementation of customary duties and dependencies legitimised and sacralised within the dynasty. The imperial relations of Piast dynasty, the organization of the church - as a state formation process and the political and economic ties of the rulers with Empire are important and help us to understand the Barbarian statehood without the state organization.

Paper -b:
At universities in Krakow, Lvov, Zagreb or Prague in the 19th century, historians were search for evidence that the history of their peoples in the Middle Ages was as 'great' and 'old' as that of the Niemts. Much of the research was conducted for national reasons. I would like to present, and to compare their vision about past in medieval period. I would like to show what arguments Croatian, Polish, or Czech historians used in their books to prove their theses about the equivalence of Slavic and German historiography. These actions had consequences for young elites who studied at universities and built their vision of the past on national myths. Visions of the Middle Ages influenced the formation of the Polish, Croatian, and Czech nations.

Paper -c:
The paper will aim to show the relationship between politics and mythology. Namely how the political power is shaped and how it is legitimised. I will explain what patterns are used by politicians and political institutions whose goal is to gain and maintain power. In my opinion, it is essential to understand what the state is and what its tasks are, and above all, how the ways of reproducing political and national identity are created and strengthened. Referring to Gaetano Mosca's concept of the 'political formula' and Ernesto Laclau's about hegemony, I will indicate what motives were used to create images and ideas about the Polish state and Polish national identity.