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Dr hab. Agata Świerzowska, prof. UJ

Centre for Comparative Studies of Civilisations
Faculty of Philosophy
Jagiellonian University in Kraków


agata.swierzowska@uj.edu.pl

https://psc.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/about/staff/agata-swierzowska

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7696-1631


Polish Journal of the Arts and Culture.
New Series: Editor-in-Chief


“Bezkresy kultury”
[Vastness of Culture]: Editor-in-Chief of a publishing series

Scientific degrees

  • 2019 – DSc, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Department of Cultural Studies
  • 2002 – PhD, Institute of Religious Studies, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University in Kraków 

Employment in academic units

  • 2019 – present, associate professor, Centre for Comparative Studies of Civilisations, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
  • 2005 – 2019, assistant professor, Centre for Comparative Studies of Civilisations, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
  • 2002 – 2005 teaching assistant, Centre for Comparative Studies of Civilisations, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University in Kraków

Selected publications

Books

  • 2024, 'Jasną jest droga przede mną.' Życie i dzieło Wandy Dynowskiej Umadevi [‘Bright is the Path ahead of Me.’ The Life and Work of Wanda Dynowska Umadevi], Libron, Kraków, pp. 598 [coauthored with Izabela Trzcińska]
  • 2019, Joga w Polsce od końca XIX wieku do 1939 roku: konteksty ezoteryczne i interpretacje [Yoga in Poland from the Late 19th Century to 1939: Esoteric Contexts and Interpretations], Jagiellonian University Press, Kraków, pp. 556
  • 2019, The Temple Road Towards a Great India. Birla Mandirs as a Strategy for Reconstructing Nation and Tradition, Jagiellonian University Press, Kraków, pp. 680 [coauthored with Marta Kudelska, Dorota Kamińska-Jones, Agnieszka Staszczyk]
  • 2013, Guru. Między tradycją, a współczesnością [Guru: Between Tradition and Modernity], Nomos, Kraków, pp. 302
  • 2009, Joga droga do Transcendencji [Yoga: The Path to Transcendence], WAM, Kraków, pp. 314

Chapters in books

  • 2024, Ezoteryczny krajobraz zdrowia i uzdrawiania Wisły jako element polskiej duchowości alternatywnej Śląska Cieszyńskiego [The Esoteric Landscape of Health and Healing in Wisła as an Element of Polish Alternative Spirituality in Cieszyn Silesia], [in:] I. Trzcińska, R. Czyż (eds.), Świat od nowa, t. 1: Programy alternatywnej duchowości na Śląsku Cieszyńskim w XX wieku [The World Anew, Vol. 1: Alternative Spirituality Programs in Cieszyn Silesia in the 20th Century], AGH University Press, Kraków, pp. 281-314
  • 2020, Dieta jarska jako podstawa dobrostanu ciała i ducha w ujęciu polskich ezoteryków schyłku XIX i pierwszej połowy XX wieku [Vegetarian Diet as the Foundation of Physical and Spiritual Well-Being According to Polish Esoteric Thinkers of the Late 19th and Early 20th Century], [in:] Polskie Tradycje Ezoteryczne 1890–1939. Tom V. Idee przewodnie [Polskie Tradycje Ezoteryczne 1890–1939. Tom V. Idee przewodnie], M. Dobkowski, T. Cegielski (eds.), Gdańsk University Press, Gdańsk , pp. 210-241
  • 2019, Józef Świtkowski : parapsychology between science and scientia occulta,[in:] Polish esoteric traditions 1890-1939: selected issues, Gdańsk University Press, Gdańsk, 53-71
  • 2018, Benares: pomiędzy obrzydzeniem, a romantycznym zachwytem. Relacja Ferdynanda Goetla z pobytu w świętym mieście [Benares: Between Disgust and Romantic Admiration. Ferdynand Goetel’s Account of His Stay in the Holy City], [in:] A. Świerzowska, K. Skowronek (eds.), Wschód i Zachód. Miejsca spotkań [East and West: Meeting Places], Libron, Kraków, pp. 239-255
  • 2015, Toth on Magical Gems, [in:] G. Bąkowska-Czerner, A. Roccati, A. Świerzowska (eds.), The Wisdom of Thoth. Magical Text in ancient Mediterranean Civilisations, Archaeopress Archaeology, Oxford, pp. 3-15 [coauthored with Grazyna Bąkowska]

Articles: 

  • 2020, Retradycjonalizacja hinduizmu we współczesnych świątyniach indyjskich na przykładzie New Vishvanath Temple w Waranasi [Retraditionalization of Hinduism in Contemporary Indian Temples: The Case of the New Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi], „Miscellanea Anthropologica et Sociologica”, 21 (1), pp. 29-45 [coauthored with Marta Kudelska, Agnieszka Staszczyk]
  • 2019, From Rāmacharaka’s “Standard of the Normal Man” to Lutosławski’s Strategy of National Revival. How Rāmacharaka’s interpretation of Yoga fits with the early stage of Yoga adaptation in Poland, „Anthropos”, 114(2), pp. 437–452
  • 2018, Illness Narratives in the Esoteric Vision of the World: Agnieszka Pilchowa’s Views and Concepts, „Religio: revue pro religionistiku”, vol. XXVI, pp. 49-70 [coauthored with Izabela Trzcińska]
  • 2017, Yoga as Synthesis. Yoga as Revival. Eugeniusz Polończyk’s Vision of Yoga. Contribution to the Study of the History of Yoga in Interwar Poland, „Studia Religiologica”, no 50 (2), pp. 173-188
  • 2017, The Origin and Impact of the Theosophical Centre in Adyar, „Studia Humanistyczne AGH”, 16/4, pp. 7-19 [coauthored with Izabela Trzcińska]
  • 2016, On the Road to Great India – A Program of National Revival. The Saraswati Temple in Pilani as an Expression of the Worldview of G.D. Birla, “Politeja”, no 40, pp. 129-158 [coauthored with Marta Kudelska, Agnieszka Staszczyk]

Main research projects

„Programy alternatywnej duchowości na Śląsku Cieszyńskim od końca XIX w. do lat 70. XX w.” [Alternative Spirituality Programs in Cieszyn Silesia from the Late 19th Century to the 1970s] [nr projektu NdS/529030/2021/2021], March 2022 -, Ministry of Science and Higher Education,  „Science for Society”

 

„Biodynamika w Polsce (1924-2024) Zachodnia filozofia ezoteryczna jako impuls nowoczesności. Transdyscyplinarne badania historii idei” [Biodynamics in Poland (1924-2024): Western Esoteric Philosophy as an Impulse for Modernity. Transdisciplinary Studies in the History of Ideas], 2021-, University of Gdańsk,  Gdańsk Humanities Support Program

 

„Kultura polska wobec zachodniej filozofii ezoterycznej w latach 18901939” [Polish Culture in Relation to Western Esoteric Philosophy from 1890 to 1939] [2bH 15 0186 83], 2016-2019, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, National Humanities Development Program, module „Rozwój2.b, http://www.tradycjaezoteryczna.ug.edu.pl/node/1

 

„Birla Mandir współczesne hinduistyczne kompleksy świątynne jako przykład modernizacji przez powrót do tradycji” [Birla Mandir – Contemporary Hindu Temple Complexes as an Example of Modernization Through a Return to Tradition] [UMO-2013/09/B/HS1/02005], 2014-2017, National Science Centre, „Opus 5”