Polskie badania Kaukazu a wyzwania współczesnej nauki

Polish contacts with the Caucasus region one date back to the late Middle Ages, and intensified in the period of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth’s greatness, as it sought allies in that region in the fight against Turkey. After the partition of Poland in the 19th century a large group of Poles – several hundred thousand strong – was exiled to Caucasus. They were political exiles and soldiers serving in the Russian army, and later civilians of various professions. Their fates become at first the subject of interest of memoirs authors, and later the subject ofscientific research. This promoted Polish-Caucasian relations, which reached its apogee in the interwar period. It was connected with the Promethean movement, which then gained wide popularity in Poland. Hitherto achievements of the Polish Caucasology invites us to reflect on its condition today. The paper aims to present the most important changes in Polish studies of Caucasus, focusing on the most recent achievements. The purpose of this activity was to determinante the feasibility of Polish Caucasology in solving research problems. Therefore, an attempt was made to analyse Polish Caucasological publication, paying particular attention to the area of the issue of research, the methodology used and the cognitive value of results. Attention was focused on several selected publications, which according to the author characterized the most important directions of research of contemporary Polish Caucasology. This applies to the work of Polish scholars and those from the West, which lived to see the Polish editions. This stems from the belief that it is this group of publications that have the greatest impact on the face of contemporary Caucasus research in Poland, and thus the strongest influence on the younger generation of researchers. Analysis of the achievements of contemporary Polish Caucasus studies demonstrate their intensive development. This applies both to a significant expansion of the area of research interests of Polish Caucasologists, as well as the intensification of scientific exchange with foreign centres. After a period of domination of historical issues we can observed expanding interests in various areas of contemporary political and social change. In recent years, there have been publications of results of own research on the problems of the political elite and the mechanisms of governance in Caucasus. Scientific level of these publications is extremely diversified– from highly original research to repetitive works and compilations. It is difficult to blame for this state of affairs only researchers who have not yet livedto see a single Caucasological research centre. It is an example of the lack of ability to adapt the structure and organization to current needs in Polish science.