polityka

Polityka is a Polish term that denotes both politics and policy. In everyday language, it refers to the activities, institutions, and processes involved in governing a community, as well as the set of courses of action that governments, organizations, or individuals adopt to influence public life. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, from academic discourse to journalism, and appears in phrases such as polityka zagraniczna (foreign policy), polityka ekonomiczna (economic policy), and polityka społeczna (social policy). In political science, the field that studies these phenomena is called political science or politologia in Polish.

Etymology and scope: Polityka shares its roots with related European terms for politics and policy, drawing on ancient Greek politikos and Latin politicus, with later influence from languages such as French and English. The word encompasses both the theory and practice of governance, as well as the formulation and implementation of public policy, partisan activity, and the management of public affairs.

Polityka as a publication: Polityka, capitalized, is the name of a major Polish weekly political and cultural magazine founded in 1957 and still published. It is known for analysis, commentary, and coverage of Polish and international politics, society, and culture, and has played a significant role in Polish public discourse across different political eras.

In summary, polityka is a central concept in political life, referring to the governance of public affairs and the policies that shape society, while also being the title of a long-standing Polish news weekly.