The Everyday Politics of Migration Crisis in Poland

Beschreibung

This book explores attitudes towards migrants and refugees from North Africa and the Middle East during the so-called migration crisis in 2015-2016 in Poland. Beginning with an examination of Polish government policy and the discursive construction of refugees in the media, politics and popular culture, it argues that they identified refugees with Muslims, who were deemed to pose a threat to the Polish nation. This analysis establishes the Islamophobic public discourse which is shown to be variously reproduced, negotiated and contested in the nuanced study of Polish attitudes which follows. Drawing on original qualitative research and constructivist theory, the book examines differing stances towards refugees in the context of the lay understanding of the Polish nation and its boundaries. In doing so it demonstrates the influence of discourses that draw on an exclusionary concept of national identity and the potential for them to be mobilised against immigrants. This timely, theory-based case study will provide a valuable resource for students and scholars of Central and Eastern European politics, nationalism, race, migration and refugee studies.

Krzysztof Jaskułowski is Associate Professor at SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland. His research interests include nationalism, migration studies, and the politics of memory.



This book explores attitudes towards migrants and refugees from North Africa and the Middle East during the so-called migration crisis in 2015-2016 in Poland. Beginning with an examination of Polish government policy and the discursive construction of refugees in the media, politics and popular culture, it argues that they identified refugees with Muslims, who were deemed to pose a threat to the Polish nation. This analysis establishes the Islamophobic public discourse which is shown to be variously reproduced, negotiated and contested in the nuanced study of Polish attitudes which follows. Drawing on original qualitative research and constructivist theory, the book examines differing stances towards refugees in the context of the lay understanding of the Polish nation and its boundaries. In doing so it demonstrates the influence of discourses that draw on an exclusionary concept of national identity and the potential for them to be mobilised against immigrants. This timely, theory-based case study will provide a valuable resource for students and scholars of Central and Eastern European politics, nationalism, race, migration and refugee studies.

Offers the first comprehensive study in English of responses to the migration crisis in Poland Highlights revealing tensions within the cultural character of Polish nationalism Contributes to key debates on nationalism, race, Islamophobia, EU migration policy and politics Combines original interviews and a constructivist approach to examine attitudes toward refugees Provides fresh insights into political radicalization and popular nationalism in Europe

Autor*in

Krzysztof Jaskulowski

Themen in »The Everyday Politics of Migration Crisis in Poland«

nationalism migration Polishness Catholic Church Central and Eastern European Politics Islamophobia authoritarianism xenophobia asylum media discourse migration crisis securitisation of migration Refugees humanitarianism Multiculturalism

Stimmen zu »The Everyday Politics of Migration Crisis in Poland«

“In 2015, as much to Europe’s as many Polish citizens’ surprise and confusion, Poland unexpectedly lurched from the core of the supranational European integration project toward nationalism, authoritarianism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Tsiganism. Krzysztof Jaskułowski’s timely monograph probes into the causes and dynamics of this seismic change, which must be better understood to prevent any potential slide of postcommunist Central Europe and much of Western Europe into the abyss of ‘illiberal democracy,’ which already blighted the continent during the 1930s. It is a clarion call, which usefully comes with suggestions of how this danger could be ameliorated.” (Tomasz Kamusella, Reader in Modern History at the University of St Andrews, UK)

“Krzysztof Jaskułowski’s book skilfully problematizes the processes of politicisation of migration in Poland and puts them in the context of reflection on the new face of Polish nationalism and also wider politics of fear in the CEE region (particularly important in this regards are Hungary and Czech Republic). Thus, it fills some important gaps in the research about the contemporary Polish nationalism, dynamics of processes of othering and politicisation of immigration in the country that has not undergone yet the migration transformation and sends more of its citizens abroad that receives immigrants. It should be of great interest not only to migration researchers, sociologists and political scientists interested in Poland but to all interested CEE politics, and nationalism studies and ethnicity.” (Konrad Pędziwiatr, Professor in the Department of European Studies at the Cracow University of Economics, Poland)

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