We are proud to announce that the winners of the first edition of the Zygmunt Bauman Award are the authors of the book „Społeczeństwo łatwopalne. Praktyki pomagania uchodźcom wojennym z Ukrainy w roku 2022 w Polsce” (“Flammable Society: Practices of Assisting War Refugees from Ukraine in Poland in 2022”), published by Collegium Civitas. The authors include Dr. Katarzyna Kalinowska, Dr. Paweł Kuczyński, Prof. Izabella Bukraba-Rylska, Katarzyna Krakowska, and Dr. Marta Sałkowska.

In their publication, the authors present the various stages of the process of assisting war refugees from Ukraine. Their journey begins at the borders and train stations, moves through supply and collection centers, reception points, and extends to private homes hosting refugees and institutions aiding their adaptation to the new Polish reality. They accompanied the helpers in their actions, combining an analysis of individual experiences with an examination of socialization processes in assistance practices.

On one hand, they utilized the accounts of individual persons, and on the other, as sociologists, they built a reflection on the process of helping as a social phenomenon. The metaphor of flammability, characterizing Polish society during this surge, points to the suddenness, intensity, and spectacular nature of the reactions, highlighting the risks associated with the spontaneous grassroots assistance efforts.
We sincerely congratulate the winners and wish them continued success!

The Zygmunt Bauman Award is being presented for the first time this year by a jury composed of members of the Polish Sociological Association and a representative of Prof. Bauman’s family. It is awarded for a book in the field of social sciences that helps readers understand the complex socio-cultural reality, highlighting the threats and opportunities of the contemporary world.

From left: Prof. Aleksandra Jasińska-Kania (representative of the Zygmunt Bauman Award Jury), Dr. Katarzyna Kalinowska, Prof. Izabella Bukraba-Rylska, Dr. Paweł Kuczyński, Prof. Mirosława Grabowska (Chair of the Polish Sociological Association).

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The book was published as part of a project funded by the state budget, granted by the Minister of Science under the “Excellent Science II – Support for Scientific Monographs” program.