The Shame of the Peasant Body

The article considers the experience of moving from the countryside to the city depicted in selected narratives of social advancement. The analysis focuses on the stigmatization of peasant origin through shame, which closely correlates with the physical and affective dimensions, a key process for the condition of “migrants.” The strong status of peasant roots as a shameful stigma in Polish culture is connected to the mechanism of its internalization by the individuals who experienced social advancement. As such, the status influences advancement strategies, preferring adaptation to urban patterns through bodily practices of mimicry.