Mérove Gijsberts

After the velvet revolutions: Altered life-chances, fragile legitimacy, and split-consciousness in post-communist Eastern Europe

This article deals with (i) changes in the objective and subjective life-chances of people in Eastern Europe as affected by the transformation of their economic and political systems, and (ii) the emergence of a new dominant meritocratic ideology of distributive justice and the survival of a now old subordinate egalitarian one. We investigate whether, and if so, how and to what degree, changes in peoples (perceived) life-chances influence their (de)legitimation of the market economy and the pluralistic system of democracy as well as their (de/re)legitimation of the ancien regime. Especially, the question of whether, and if so, how and under which conditions, a phenomenon that has been called “split-consciousness” will occur with respect to peoples choices between those opposing systems is answered. Several hypotheses are presented that deal with the above mentioned topics. The hypotheses are tested empirically by using cross-national data stemming from the International Social Justice Project.

A threat in the air? Perceptions of group discrimination in the first years after migration: Comparing Polish Migrants in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and Ireland

Discrimination is a problem for both minority groups and the societies in which they live. Perceived group discrimination reflects the direct experiences of immigrants but is also an indicator of reception context and social cohesion in the host country. This paper examines perceptions of group discrimination among recently migrated Polish immigrants to four Western European countries, and specifically focuses on changes over time in these individual perceptions, using a new longitudinal survey of immigrants. Are there cross-national differences in (changes in) perceived group discrimination, and how is discrimination related to exposure to and experiences in the host country? By employing a panel design we find that perceived discrimination is higher among Polish migrants in the Netherlands in Wave 1 than in the other three countries; perceptions of discrimination also increase more there between waves of the survey, as well as in the UK. Perceptions of group discrimination are related to some aspects of exposure to the host country, but most strongly associated with negative experiences in the host country. Differences in country contexts – attitudinal climate and national discourses – seem to play a role in understanding perceived group discrimination among new Polish immigrants in Western Europe.

The experience of discrimination among newly arrived Poles in Ireland and the Netherlands

ABSTRACT This paper examines discrimination and early integration among Polish migrants in Ireland and the Netherlands using a new immigrants’ panel survey. Drawing on insights from research on intergroup relations, stereotyping, ethnic competition and Bail’s notion of the salience of racial and cultural boundaries, the paper develops hypotheses about the role of experience in and exposure to the host country, of gender and of country context in migrants’ experience of discrimination. The key finding is higher discrimination among Poles in the Netherlands and a greater increase in discrimination over time, suggesting that perceptions of ethnic competition, negative public debate and ensuing stereotypes about East European migrants are contributing to a more negative experience for Polish migrants in the Netherlands as compared to Ireland.