The Routledge Handbook of the History of Poland

This book presents the history of Poland through the lens of selected phenomena that demonstrate pan-European and global processes. It tells the story of feudalism, parliamentarism, nationalism and modernization, and explains how these processes emerged, developed or were implemented in Poland.

The comparative method adopted here aims to study the links and transnational entanglements within the region on the basis that the optimal way of writing about a country in East Central Europe is to combine national history with a regional approach. Rather than relegating the themes of gender and diversity (cultural, ethnic, social and religious) to separate chapters, the authors aim to integrate these topics into all texts, informed by their knowledge, sources and empathy. Finally, this volume recounts both facts and the distorted paths taken by the memorialization of historic events. In doing so, it seeks to answer the fundamental question: “How unique can a country’s history really be?”

This volume will be useful both for beginning students and for advanced scholars who specialize in the history of Poland and the entire region of East Central Europe to gain new information and interpretations on topics beyond their key areas of focus.