Language, migration, and (neo-)nationalism: a workshop to better understand the situation in Poland

How does the crisis situation in Ukraine caused by Russia’s invasion in February 2022 influence which languages are spoken in Poland? What role does language play in the assault on three Germans in Łódź or a professor on Warsaw’s tram for speaking German? Why are far-right protests organized by the Młodzież Wszechpolska [All-Polish Youth] demanding UAM dla Polaków [University of Adam Mickiewicz for Poles], to reduce the number of international students and to teach classes in English? Such events show that there is a need to better understand the relationship among language, migration, and (neo-)nationalism and to find out how it is lived and experienced within Polish society, by the local population, international students, expats, migrants, refugees, and others. 

In the recent immigration from Ukraine to Poland, the local population has played a leading role by providing not only shelter and food, but also moral and emotional support as immediate neighbors. Similarities among Slavic languages and cultures are often used as an argument for why immigration to Poland seems to be easier for Ukrainians, but it is not clear at this stage if this will lead to successful long-term integration. Certain media have also raised the controversial question of why, in contrast to the solidarity with Ukraine, migrants and refugees from other ethnic or national backgrounds have received a less favorable treatment or have even been refused entry into the country. The goal of this workshop is to address these questions together, create awareness of our own attitudes and biases as well as empathy and understanding for others. We will have a lively discussion, engage in group exercises, and brainstorm ideas together for a more diverse, interesting, and just society.