Homo Politicus and Res Publica Today: Linguistic Reappraisal with Student Survey Evidence

Bożena Iwanowska; Yan Kapranov

doi:10.35765/hp.2732

Published : 2025-09-30

Vol. 16 No. 56 (2025)

Homo Politicus and Res Publica Today: Linguistic Reappraisal with Student Survey Evidence

dr

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1331-2866

dr

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2915-038X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35765/hp.2732

Section: Articles Varia

Abstract

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The article aims to analyze the linguistic and philosophical evolution of the concepts Homo Politicus and Res Publica within political discourse, focusing on their historical development and contemporary interpretations.

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The primary research problem addresses how the classical concepts of Homo Politicus and Res Publica have been adapted to modern political realities. We combine conceptual–linguistic analysis with a small-scale quantitative survey of 30 third-year students in International Relations and Political Science at a private university in Warsaw. The survey consisted of four closed-ended questions, and descriptive statistics were used.

THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The article traces the historical development of these concepts, beginning with classical philosophy, where Homo Politicus refers to individuals as political beings driven by the desire for power and influence. At the same time, Res Publica pertains to the collective management of public affairs and governance. The study then explores how these terms are understood in contemporary political systems.

RESEARCH RESULTS: The survey results indicate the enduring relevance of Homo Politicus as a model of political subjectivity shaped by power, ethics, and public engagement. Meanwhile, Res Publica remains a crucial component in discussions of democracy and collective governance.

CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The article highlights the persistent significance of the classical concepts Homo Politicus and Res Publica in understanding the modern legitimacy of power and governance. It recommends further reflection on how these ideas can be adapted in the analysis of contemporary political systems. The article bridges conceptual history and contemporary perceptions by triangulating linguistic analysis with fresh empirical evidence from students across multiple world regions.

Keywords

Homo Politicus ; Res Publica ; Linguistic Evolution ; Political Subjectivity

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dr

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1331-2866

Affiliation

Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Economics and Human Sciences, Okopowa St. 59, 01-043 Warsaw, Poland Poland

Bio Statement (e.g., department and rank)

Dr. Bożena Iwanowska is an assistant professor of political science and sociology at the University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, the director of the UEHS Academic Center for Holocaust and Genocide Research, and a member of BEIT Poland. She collaborates with the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. She is a Research Fellow of the EHRI Conny Kristel Research Fellowship and the TNA Resilience Research Fellowship at Bar-Ilan University. Additionally, she leads a project funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland, titled “The Occupation Policy of the Third German Reich in Polish Territories 1939-1945,” set to run from 2024 to 2029. Dr. Iwanowska is currently participating in the HINENU course (2024-2025), organized by the Jewish Agency for Israel, and is actively involved in research on antisemitism and Jewish identity in Europe.

dr

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2915-038X

Affiliation

Akademia Ekonomiczno-Humanistyczna w Warszawie Poland

Bio Statement (e.g., department and rank)

Dr. Yan Kapranov is a member of the UEHS Academic Center for Holocaust and Genocide Research. He serves as the R.A.C.H.E.L Database Developer, Digital Projects Expert, and Head of the International Projects & Grant Programs Unit. Dr. Kapranov holds a PhD in Linguistics and is a faculty member in the English Philology Unit at the Department of Human Sciences and Arts at the University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw. He leads several international research projects at the EU level. He is a researcher at a project funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland, titled “The Occupation Policy of the Third German Reich in Polish Territories 1939-1945,” set to run from 2024 to 2029. He is also a Director of Academic and Research Center for Multilingualism in Corpus Translation and Interpreting Studies. He collaborates with the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Nowadays he focuses on antisemitism and hate speech from a linguistic perspective. In 2022, he participated in the international conference at Yad Vashem centered on the digitization of Holocaust data. He also collaborates with BEIT Poland.