Modern Poland: Migration and Transformations

 

The ‘Modern Poland’ project brings together leading scholars from the Migration Research Group at the University of Sheffield and the Centre for Migration Research at the University of Warsaw.  The project is funded by the Noble Foundation’s Programme on Modern Poland (http://pomp.com.pl/en/). It runs from October 2017 to September 2019.

The project uses the lens of migration to examine key dynamics in modern Polish society and uses the transnational field to explore the interconnections between Poland and Britain. The unfolding consequences of Brexit form an important backdrop to the project.

The large numbers of Polish people living in the UK link these two societies together in many important ways. This project explores how the exchange of ideas and values, cultural practices, family relationships, caring strategies and obligations, economic and social remittances, visits and plans to return, impact both on the UK and Polish society.

The project has four main objectives:

1. To develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the complexity and dynamics of modern Polish society, through the lens of migration, especially among academics and the wider local communities in the North of England.

2. To provide training to PhD students in both Poland and the UK so they can share ideas, learn new skills and access new bodies of knowledge and understanding.

3. To foster greater cooperation between leading Polish and UK scholars through building up a new, active network between the Centre for Migration Research in Warsaw and the Migration Research Group in Sheffield.

4. To generate new knowledge and analysis through developing an edited book, and a special issue of the Central and Eastern European Migration Review.

As part of this project, we will host a Programme of Public Lectures and Master Classes in Sheffield and Warsaw.

This project will also host a one-week Summer School in September 2018 for PhD students in collaboration with the Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews.

Finally, an International Conference will be held at the University of Sheffield in Spring 2019 which will bring together leading scholars from Poland, the UK and elsewhere to present cutting-edge research on migration and its impact on various aspects of modern Polish society. PhD students and early career researchers will be especially encouraged to participate and present their work. The best papers from the conference will be invited to be part of an edited book.

Duration

2017 - 2019

Source of funding

Noble Foundation