Bauman

Description

Global thinker, public intellectual and world-famous theorist of ‘liquid modernity’, Zygmunt Bauman (1925-2017) was a scholar who, despite forced migration, built a very successful academic career and, after retirement, became a prolific and popular writer and an intellectual talisman for young people everywhere. He was one of those rare scholars who, grey-haired and in his eighties, had his finger on the pulse of the youth. This is the first comprehensive biography of Bauman’s life and work. Izabela Wagner returns to Bauman’s native Poland and recounts his childhood in an assimilated Polish Jewish family and the school experiences shaped by anti-Semitism. Bauman’s life trajectory is typical of his generation and social group: the escape from Nazi occupation and Soviet secondary education, communist engagement, enrolment in the Polish Army as a political officer, participation in the WW II and the support for the new political regime in the post-war Poland. Wagner sheds new light on the post-war period and Bauman’s activity as a KBW political officer. His eviction in 1953 from the military ranks and his academic career reflect the dynamic context of Poland in 1950s and 1960s. His professional career in Poland was abruptly halted in 1968 by the anti-Semitic purges. Bauman became a refugee again - leaving Poland for Israel, and then settling down in Leeds in the UK in 1971. His work would flourish in Leeds, and after his retirement in 1991 he entered a period of enormous productivity which propelled him onto the international stage as one of the most widely read and influential social thinkers of our time. Wagner’s biography brings out the complex connections between Bauman’s life experiences and his work, showing how his trajectory as an ‘outsider’ forced into exile by the anti-Semitic purges in Poland has shaped his thinking over time. Her careful and thorough account will be the standard biography of Bauman’s life and work for years to come. Contents Cover Front Matter Introduction 22 June 2013: Wrocław Notes 1 A Happy Childhood ‘Under Such Circumstances’: Poznań (1925–1932) A significant birth place, a critical time … The family Notes 2 A Pupil Like No Other: Poznań (1932–1939) The world outside of the family – a solitary Jew Zygmunt’s sister: Teofila – Tosia – Tova and her generation’s destiny Gymnasium on the ghetto bench Belonging – a szomer in Hashomer Hatzair Notes 3 The Fate of a War Refugee (1939–1944): Poznań–Molodeczna The outbreak of war Journey through Soviet lands: November 1939 – June 1941, Mołodeczno Mołodeczno – one student among many School’s out – war’s back in Notes 4 Russian Exodus, 1941–1943: Gorki and the Forest Escape into the Russian interior Kolkhoznik life: modest stability in a country at war Becoming a university student – an outsider once again Notes 5 ‘Holy War’: 1943–1945 Enrolment Why the ‘Red’ and not the Anders Army? 4th Infantry Division Officers’ cadet school A political officer in Berling’s Army When Polish soul needs a Polish name A soldier’s life New borders, new political order Bringing the new ideology to everyone The advance of the troops – Warsaw’s time of waiting From Warsaw through the Pomeranian Fortification Wall to Kołobrzeg Notes 6 Officer of the Internal Security Corps: 1945–1953 Was the war over? KBW Not so sweet home Civil war or uprising? The swell (martwa fala) ‘Comrade Bauman Zygmunt’ ‘Comrade Semion’ KBW mission – tracing an ‘internal enemy’ KBW in action, by Julian Żurowicz Is Bauman Słucki? Szczytno – mission ‘to fix everything’ Notes 7 ‘A Man in a Socialist Society’: Warsaw 1947–1953 Warsaw in the late 1940s An ordinary life in a specific workplace: Bauman’s career at the KBW Believing in a better future Student in the Academy of Political Science – 1947–1950 Janina Lewinson Madame Janina Bauman ‘A dream of belonging’ Life under Stalinism How Polish society loved Stalin The calm before the storm … Between the Army and the university Notes 8 A Young Scholar: 1953–1957 Warsaw University – Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences Master’s study under Stalinism Leszek Kołakowski – younger by age, older by status Rapid take-off of an academic career Julian Hochfeld – a man in a trap The ‘circle of Hochfeld’ The life of a young scholar The ‘thaw’ A long story of the attribution of the doctorate The rehabilitation of sociology at Warsaw University Publishing ‘revisionist’ articles Notes 9 Years of Hope: 1957–1967 Opening doors to the West Visiting scholar at the London School of Economics Habilitation and docent Becoming an ‘extraordinary professor’ Teaching and mentoring students Empirical research and publications International travels Correspondence with colleagues abroad Familial travels abroad (1959–1967) Some sunshine before the storm Notes 10 Bad Romance with the Security Police Bauman in the funhouse mirror The discussion clubs and their charismatic leaders – DNA of the Polish opposition The professional reviews by … the Bezpieka The infiltrated milieu The crackdown Promotion under unfortunate circumstances The struggle for autonomy and academic liberty Becoming a Jew … again Notes 11 The Year 1968 The revolutionary power of symbols The 8 March protest A university divided ‘The hate speech’ The state pogrom ‘At once!’ in ninety-six days … Notes 12 Holy Land: 1968–1971 ‘The Family’s Big Trip’ Forced Aliyah – ‘Strangers amongst Strangers’ The Baumans – olim hadaszim ‘Il n’y a qu’un soleil sur terre’ (There is only one sun on the earth) An outsider in an outsider institution ‘It is not enough to leave, you have to arrive’: the new life of the Bauman family ‘Picnic on the volcano’ Notes 13 A British Professor Starting from scratch – 1 Lawnswood Gardens, Leeds The welcome at Leeds University Department head at Leeds Mentoring Ph.D. students – Bauman and Tester Notes 14 An Intellectual at Work Writing as a craft Conversational collaborations The main collaborator: Janina Bauman Under the wings of Polity Press Modus vivendi Notes 15 Global Thinker Non-liquid LOVE: janzygbau@ Unrequited love: Poland The culprit Condemned to absence Homecoming!? World recognition Global Bauman Global and famous and … the culprit again … Legends: Jackboots and iron – deconstruction Jasia … Back to life Following his Shadow … Notes Conclusion: Legacy Notes Appendix: Working on Bauman Notes Bibliography Index Ebook plates End User License Agreement