Ośrodek Myśli Politycznej

Ośrodek Myśli Politycznej, commonly abbreviated as OMP and known in English as the Center for Political Thought, is a Polish conservative think tank established in Kraków in 1992. It operates as an educational and scientific association and has public-benefit-organisation status. Its work combines research, publishing, civic education, and the organisation of public discussion rather than commercial brand activity. The institution concentrates on philosophy and political thought, the history of Polish and European intellectual traditions, international relations, and contemporary ideological disputes. It presents itself as a venue where scholars, public intellectuals, policy specialists, students, teachers, and members of the wider public can engage with questions concerning Polish politics, the country’s historical experience, and international affairs. Its programme includes academic conferences, public debates, lecture series, seminars, analytical projects, and educational initiatives for high-school and university audiences. Publishing is a central part of OMP’s identity. The organisation issues books by contemporary Polish and foreign authors as well as new editions and studies of classical political thinkers. Its publishing programmes include the Library of Political Thought, Polish Intellectual Traditions, the Library of the Classics of Polish Political Thought, Studies and Analyses, Classics of Philosophical Thought, Tradition and Culture, and the Canon of Contemporary Philosophy. It also publishes archival series dealing with the records of the security services in the Polish People’s Republic and with the period of the Second World War. The Library of the Classics of Polish Political Thought is described as a particularly extensive effort to make historically important Polish political writing accessible to modern readers. The authors and thinkers associated with OMP span conservative, liberal-conservative, republican, historical, philosophical, and international-relations traditions. Its publications and events have addressed figures such as Edmund Burke, Plato, Thomas Aquinas, Lord Acton, Michał Bobrzyński, Paweł Popiel, Stanisław Tarnowski, Mirosław Dzielski, Julian Klaczko, Marian Zdziechowski, Jan Ludwik Popławski, Zygmunt Balicki, Adolf Bocheński, Władysław Konopczyński, Józef Szujski, Adam Heydl, Łukasz Górnicki, Henryk Rzewuski, Hieronim Kajsiewicz, Jan Koźmian, and Stanisław Koźmian. OMP also maintains thematic websites through which it distributes research and educational material. It cooperates with Polish and foreign think tanks and universities, extending its reach beyond its Kraków base. The organisation is therefore best understood as a knowledge, publishing, and civic-discussion platform rooted in Polish conservative intellectual life rather than as a conventional consumer-facing brand. Its present activities are led by a managing board headed by Jacek Kloczkowski.

Ośrodek Myśli Politycznej was founded in Kraków in 1992 as an educational and scientific association concerned with political philosophy, intellectual history, and public affairs. Its establishment placed it within the post-communist development of Polish civil society, when new institutions were being created to support independent scholarship, civic discussion, and debate about the country’s political direction. From the outset, OMP combined intellectual work with public-facing education and discussion. The organisation developed a profile associated with conservative political thought while maintaining a broad interest in the history of ideas and international relations. Rather than limiting itself to policy reports, it created a programme spanning research, lectures, seminars, conferences, public debates, and publications. These activities have addressed Polish politics, historical memory, ideological conflict, European and international affairs, and the relationship between political institutions and inherited intellectual traditions. Publishing became one of OMP’s most durable activities. The organisation established several book series devoted to contemporary analysis, the history of Polish political thought, philosophical classics, cultural traditions, and archival research. Its editions have included works by major Polish political writers and thinkers, alongside translations or studies of influential figures from the wider history of political philosophy. A prominent objective of this programme has been to return neglected or historically important Polish texts to public circulation and to provide modern readers with scholarly editions and interpretive context. OMP has also developed archival publishing projects concerning the Polish People’s Republic and the Second World War. These initiatives broadened its historical work beyond canonical political theory and into documentary and institutional history. In parallel, the organisation created thematic websites for presenting research findings and educational material, allowing its activities to reach audiences beyond participants in its physical events. Leadership has changed over time. Ryszard Legutko was the organisation’s first president. Miłowit Kuniński served as president from 2005 to 2018, after which Jacek Kloczkowski became president. The organisation’s network has included academics, historians, political scientists, journalists, diplomats, and public intellectuals such as Marek A. Cichocki, Dariusz Gawin, Rafał Habielski, Dariusz Karłowicz, Krzysztof Kawalec, Marek Kornat, Paweł Kowal, Zdzisław Krasnodębski, Andrzej Nowak, Dorota Pietrzyk-Reeves, Arkady Rzegocki, Zbigniew Stawrowski, Aleksander Surdej, Krzysztof Szczerski, Kazimierz M. Ujazdowski, Łukasz Warzecha, Bronisław Wildstein, and others. These individuals have participated in OMP conferences and debates, contributed articles, or authored and edited books issued through its publishing programme. OMP currently functions as a public-benefit educational and research association. It cooperates with universities and think tanks in Poland and abroad and continues to combine intellectual history, political analysis, publishing, and public education. Its institutional identity rests on the attempt to connect conservative political reflection with scholarly research and open debate.

• 2018

  Jacek Kloczkowski becomes president

  [1]Center for Political Thoughten.wikipedia.org

  Jacek Kloczkowski succeeded Miłowit Kuniński as president of OMP.

• 2005

  Miłowit Kuniński becomes president

  [1]Center for Political Thoughten.wikipedia.org

  Miłowit Kuniński began the period of presidency that continued through 2018.

• 1992

  Foundation in Kraków

  [1]Center for Political Thoughten.wikipedia.org

  The educational and scientific association Ośrodek Myśli Politycznej was established in Kraków.

A conservative Polish think tank and public-intellectual institution linking political-philosophical research, historical scholarship, civic education, publishing, and structured public debate.

• Book series

  Library of Political Thought

  A publication programme devoted to political ideas and political philosophy. It presents scholarly and interpretive works intended to contribute to discussion of major traditions and problems in political thought.

• Book series

  Polish Intellectual Traditions

  A series focused on Polish intellectual history and the country’s political, philosophical, and cultural traditions. It helps document and interpret ideas that have shaped Polish public life.

• Classics publishing programme

  Library of the Classics of Polish Political Thought

  OMP’s major classics programme, bringing works by important Polish political thinkers to contemporary readers through new editions, editorial preparation, and contextual scholarship. The series is described as the largest such collection devoted to Polish political thought.

• Research publications

  Studies and Analyses

  A series for analytical and research-oriented publications addressing political, historical, philosophical, and international-relations questions.

• Historical documentary series

  Archival publications on the Polish People’s Republic and the Second World War

  Two related publishing strands use archival material to examine lesser-known aspects of the Polish People’s Republic and the Second World War, extending OMP’s work into documentary history and historical memory.

1. 1Center for Political Thoughten.wikipedia.org
2. 2Ośrodek Myśli Politycznej official websiteomp.org.pl