Neuerscheinung: Izabela Paszko: Informal Communication and Occupation in the Polish Borderlands
We are delighted to announce the latest publication in our series “Poland: Transnational Histories”:
Izabela Paszko: Informal Communication and Occupation in the Polish Borderlands
The book explores the neglected role and social dynamics of informal communication – interpersonal channels not controlled ‘from above’ – in the region of Upper Silesia under the German occupation during the Second World War (1939–1945).
Whereas the classic dichotomies, such as private-public and formal-informal, have been widely explored and discussed in the humanities, the main focus of this volume lies in the reconstruction of the information landscape of wartime and its deployment by families, co-workers, neighbours, and other social groups.
Using personal stories, our research associate Izabela Paszko analyzes the functions and forms of informal communication that were contextual and fleeting, such as gossip, rumors, and conversations among workers, offering an interdisciplinary perspective on everyday life during this period.
Informal Communication and Occupation in the Polish Borderlands is primarily aimed at scholars of contemporary history, social history, and Eastern European history, while its important lens as a study of fake news and misinformation in modern times will also be engaging to undergraduate classrooms and general readers.
More about the series “Transnational Histories”
