Pragmatic and Universal Dimension of Socialisation. Perspective of Experiences of Prisoners – Citizens of Former USSR

Abstract

The basic aim of these reflections is to answer the question what is the retrospective picture of socialisation processes, as seen by the researched prisoners. Such general issue combines the interpretation of socialisation, perception of its overt and hidden meaning, as well as personal reflection regarding own experiences. Taking the above into account, the author attempted to present individual, biographical experiences of a very specific group, i.e. citizens of Russia and former Soviet republics, whose period of childhood proceeded in the 1970s and 1980s. The interviews were conducted among a group of prisoners currently serving sentence in Polish prisons, but socialised during the period of Soviet Union. The methodological procedure followed qualitative research paradigm, oriented at reconstruction of experiences from the childhood and youth.