Andrzej Towiański, czyli prorok elektryczny. Medialność mesjanizmu w kontekście kultury celebryckiej
The Electr Prophet, or Andrzej Towiański. Mediality of Messianism in Relation to Celebrity Culture
Author(s): Piotr UrbanowiczSubject(s): Anthropology, Media studies, Communication studies, Theory of Communication, Social development, Crowd Psychology: Mass phenomena and political interactions, Rural and urban sociology, Sociology of Culture, Identity of Collectives
Published by: Szkoła Wyższa Psychologii Społecznej
Keywords: science; religion; Actor-Network Theory; electricity; Towianski; Mickiewicz
Summary/Abstract: In the paper the author presents Andrzej Towiański - an influential Polish messianist who established the Circle of God's Cause in Paris in 1840s – in relation to celebrity culture. Basing on theories of Chris Rojek, David Marshall and Birgit Meyer the author claims that the figure of a celebrity is deeply integrated into media. On the one hand the celebrity functions as a node in media network providing tools to integrate mass audience; on the other he is an actor, who sets complex aesthetic relations and thus establishes a community. In case of Andrzej Towiański and his disciples such aesthetic relations were formed via metaphors translating electricity into domain of religious exaltation. In conclusion, the author states that the references to electric science were the main reason for popularity of Andrzej Towiański and his efficacy in forming community.
Journal: Kultura Popularna
- Issue Year: 59/2019
- Issue No: 01
- Page Range: 44-55
- Page Count: 12
- Language: Polish