1st Edition
Polish Return Migration after Brexit A Sociological Forecast
This book explores the attitudes of Polish migrants towards the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union and considers possible return migration trajectories that may result. Based on quantitative sociological research conducted in Britain, it investigates the perceptions of Polish people in Britain and asks what they consider the likely consequences of Brexit to be for their personal, family, and professional lives, the central question being the dilemma of whether to remain abroad or return to Poland. A multifaceted approach to understanding the views of a significant migrant group when presented with considerable social and economic changes, Polish Return Migration after Brexit also offers forecasts of likely outcomes for institutions involved with Polish migrants and employers in Poland. It will therefore appeal to scholars of sociology and geography with interests in migration and diaspora studies, as well as to those working in the field of migration policy.
1. Contemporary Polish Migrants in Britain 2. Respondents’ Evaluation of Brexit and its Effects 3. Polish People’s Motives for Staying in the UK After Brexit 4. Polish People’s Motives for Returning to Poland After Brexit 5. Conclusion
Biography
Marek Wodawski has a Ph.D. in Sociology and is an assistant professor at the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland. He conducts his research in the fields of Catholic social teaching, economic ethics, migration studies, sociology of nation, and national identity.
Stanisław Fel is a sociology professor at the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland. His research interests focus mostly on migration studies and ethical aspects of social problems.
Jarosław Kozak has a Ph.D. in Sociology, an assistant professor at the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland. His scientific interests revolve around quantitative research methodologies within the issues of migration studies, sociology of religion, and morality (attitude dynamics).
"This is an extremely important book, which, thanks to a large quantitative survey conducted among Poles in the UK, brings a lot of new content and cognitive sense concerning Brexit and its impact on return decisions. The opinions of Polish migrants are presented in a broad socio-political context. This distinguished book in migration studies, will probably also allow to discuss whether the phase of post-accession migration has closed."
Krystyna Slany, Professor of Sociology, Jagiellonian University"Poles fleeing oppression came to Britain from the late 18th century and through the early 20th. British workers responded with support for Polish struggles. Then EU changed discussion. By the time of Brexit, the discussion had changed to make a “Polish plumber” the symbol of unwanted labor migration. This study broadens the discussion with a welcome account of how Poles understood life in Britain and after Brexit grappled with decisions about returning home. It is nuanced, informative, good social science, and important for public discussion."
Craig Calhoun, Professor Social Sciences, Arizona State University and London School of Economics"This new research on Polish migration to the UK carried out in 2019 is both timely and salient in terms of the issues it raises, the insights it provides into the motivations, attitudes, life plans and concerns of the of the million or so Polish migrants in the UK. Not only does it provide a comprehensive summary of research to date but it proposes new ways of examining the complex evolving migration plans in post Brexit UK from largely economic to more subtle higher order criteria generally termed as success in life."
George Kolankiewicz, Professor of Sociology, University College London
