This article presents the results of a study of the determinants of energy transformation of coal-dependent regions. The case study was on the region of Silesia. This region is the main producer of hard coal and coking coal in Poland, with nineteen mines and numerous coal-fired power plants. Silesia is highly industrialized and urbanized, contributing significantly to Poland’s GDP. However, it is also a leader in terms of methane and carbon dioxide emissions. The study used an approach based on Alvin L. Bertrand’s ‘stress-strain’ theory, to investigate the socio-cultural stresses emerging as a result of the interaction of external factors and internal process dynamics within the region itself. Then, using Marc Wolfram’s systems-based analytical framework approach, the current transformative capacity of Silesia was analyzed. The theoretical framework adopted assumes that socio-cultural stress can be inferred from past situations of tension, influencing the social structure of the region and shaping accepted patterns of adaptation to change. Socio-cultural stress emerges as a key determinant of a region’s coping strategy and shapes its ability to transform in the long term. The research approach presented in this article adopts a comprehensive framework that integrates socio-cultural, socio-ecological and technological dimensions, providing a holistic view of a region’s transformation challenges and opportunities. The research was conducted using focus group interviews and a structured interview questionnaire. Participants in the research were individuals representing a diverse community of experts and activists involved in the energy transition process in Silesia, including local government officials, businesses, professional associations and social activists.

The phenomenon of publication, in the same year, of two books having identical titles, is enough to study the theory presented therein. Both books feature the notion of culture, which was broadly elaborated by both authors: Antonina Kłoskowska and Raymond Williams already in their earlier analyses. It turns out, however, that no matter the title of a book interesting to us, culture is tackled differently in both of them. Williams seems to keep using anthropological definition of culture, while Kłoskowska suggests sociological approach. A reflection on culture by the English academic has shaped the character of British cultural studies and their subsequent follow-ups around the world. A question arises, to what extent the sociological approach by Kłoskowska may give impetus to cultural research in Poland, especially when symbolic culture appears beyond the principle of autotelism.