An AGH UST alumnus authored the best MA thesis focusing on civil society

The winning paper in the field of sociology has been written at the Faculty of Humanities, under the supervision of Dr hab. Jacek Gądecki, Associate Professor at the AGH UST. The thesis revolves around the controversy surrounding the phenomenon of smog and the role of activists (and their allies) in the constitution of knowledge about air pollution. It was created as a case study of the Krakow Metropolitan Area (KMA).

It is among the residents of the KMA that some of the first grassroots movements in Poland sprung up, which focused on the issue of smog. They brought about the inception of the national Polish Smog Alert. Sebastian Medoń turned his investigative eye especially to the role of social movements (called ‘smog alerts’), but also took into account the activity of other ‘actors’ – both human and nonhuman. Along the lines of the actor–network theory (ANT), the second group includes particular elements that make up the technical context of the process studied. For instance, these include measurement stations and devices that register air quality, but also the information infrastructure that encompasses, among other things, social media, mobile applications, and electronic info boards that warn citizens about a potential health hazard.

Basic research rested chiefly on views that subscribe to the tradition of social science and technology studies (STS). This is where the actor–network theory came from, which constitutes the theoretical and methodological backbone of the thesis. Additionally, the author made room for other theories related to modern social movements that rely on social media in their activities.

Individual research, carried out mainly throughout 2019, the author based on interviews with activists from the KMA and a desk research analysis that covered publicly available data. Referencing one of the most recognisable papers of Michel Callon (co-creator of ANT), he attempted to trace the actions of the most prominent actors – from the point when the issue became a problem (i.e. social outrage related to poor air quality), through the mobilisation of the most important actors, to their successes in the form of a relative stabilisation. Back then, the success also came in the form of a Małopolska anti-smog resolution, the provisions of which also span the Krakow Metropolitan Area.

Towards the end of the MA thesis, the author devoted some space to social machines in service to environmental protection. It was an attempt to formulate practical conclusions that can be useful in organising social initiatives related to the issues of ecology, climate, and the environment.

It should be mentioned that the thesis also received an honourable mention in the competition organised by the Polish Sociological Association for the the best MA thesis in sociology in 2019.

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The aim of the NIW–CRSO competition for the best MA thesis and doctoral dissertation devoted to civil society is to select the best thesis and dissertation that have been created in the field of social sciences and focus on the following issues: modern civil society and its functions, the civil sector in Poland (also in the comparative dimension), voluntary work, folk universities, and the scouting movement.

The competition was intended for university graduates and authors of doctoral dissertations. It accepted only MA theses with the best marks. The required language of the paper/dissertation was Polish.

The competition brought in 17 MA theses and 11 doctoral dissertations. In awarding the prize, the jury considered the contents of the papers, their cutting-edge and creative nature, as well as their editorial prowess.