Discourse in Youth Organizations Functioning in Poland: Constructing a Platform for Dialogue

Authors

• Magdalena Cuprjak, Nicolaus Copernicus University of Torun, PolandFollow
• Celina Czech-Włodarczyk, Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, PolandFollow

Abstract

Our research explores the degree to which youth organizations serve as platforms for open dialogue and examines how their discourse aligns with established principles of dialogism, as articulated by van Dijk (2001), Bakhtin (1982), and the 'authentic turn' concept proposed by Ostrowska (2017). In conducting this study, we anticipated finding variability in communication styles, expecting that some organizations—particularly those affiliated with the Polish Council of Youth Organizations (PROM)—would promote more inclusive, dialogic interactions. Conversely, we suspected that groups outside PROM, especially nationalist organizations like the All-Polish Youth, might display more exclusionary or ideologically driven messaging. Our expectations were rooted in the existing literature and in our preliminary observations collected during the analysis of data from the research project we were part of.

Using qualitative content analysis of 696 documents from six organizations across various media, our findings largely confirmed our expectations. PROM groups tended to foster open, diverse communication, whereas nationalist groups often produced messages reinforcing exclusion and in-group identity. Many posts superficially promoted tolerance but, upon closer inspection, displayed monologue, ideological rigidity, and resistance to opposing views. A surprising pattern emerged: despite claims of promoting dialogue, many organizations’ online communication practices revealed a paradox—what was professed as openness was more insular. This gap highlights the complex reality of organizational communication, indicating that many youth groups fall short of genuine dialogic engagement despite public declarations of inclusivity.

Keywords

dialogue, youth organizations, Poland, discourse, qualitative content analysis

Author Bio(s)

Magdalena Cuprjak, Ph.D. in pedagogy, is Assistant Professor in the Institute of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun. The main areas of scientific interest include methodology of social research, youth as a social and research category, and identity construction. The author of the monograph Konstruowanie tożsamości gimnazjalistów [Constructing an Identity of Gymnasium] Torun, 2016. Major articles include “Wiedza o społeczeństwie: raport przedmiotowy” (Civic education courses: a subject report), co-author Violetta Kopińska, Warszawa, Feminoteka, 2016; „Dyskursy o młodzieży w sytuacji edukacji instytucjonalnej: kontekst gimnazjum” (Discourses about youth in the situation of institutional education: the context of the gymnasium) AUNC, 2018; “Budowanie wiedzy o młodzieży w dyskursie normatywnym” (Building knowledge about youth in the normative discourse), Przegląd Pedagogiczny, 2020. Please direct correspondence to mcuprjak@umk.pl Celina Czech-Włodarczyk, Ph.D. – Doctor of humanities in the field of pedagogy, master’s degree in special education and political science, is a speech therapist, research and teaching assistant professor at the Department of Research Methodology and Discourse Studies at Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz. Rresearch interests includefunctioning and reforming of educational systems in North America and Europe; methods of teaching children with special educational needs; education of national, ethnic and linguistic minorities in Canada and France; globalization and its impact on the sphere of education; influence of economic and ideological factors on reforms undertaken in the sphere of education. Selected publications include “Neoliberalism and civic education. Comparative study on the example of public secondary schools in Poland and Canada”, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM, 2012; E. Potulicka, D. Hildebrandt-Wypych, C. Czech-Włodarczyk (eds.), “Educational systems in European countries” (Oficyna Wydawnicza Impuls, 2012); A. Boroń, A. Mańkowska, C. Czech-Włodarczyk, P. Peret-Drążewska (eds.), “Education in global and local conditions. Contexts and examples” (Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM, 2018). Please direct correspondence to celina.czech-wlodarczyk@ukw.edu.pl

Acknowledgements

The article uses the data gathered in the project: Heterotopias of Citizenship. Educational Discourse and Pedagogies of Militarization in the Spaces of Youth Organizations. A Critical-Analytical and Comparative Approach, financed by the National Science Centre in Poland under Grant No. 2019/35/B/HS6/01365.

Publication Date

6-25-2026

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Recommended APA Citation

Cuprjak, M., & Czech-Włodarczyk, C. (2026). Discourse in Youth Organizations Functioning in Poland: Constructing a Platform for Dialogue. The Qualitative Report, 31(6), 5998-6024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46743/1052-0147.7315

ORCID ID

Celina Czech-Włodarczyk: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1134-7021; Magdalena Cuprjak: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0927-4927