OPINIONS AMONG POZNAN’S INHABITANTS CONCERNING THE PRESENCE OF FOREIGNERS ON THE LABOUR MARKET IN VIEW OF REPLACEMENT MIGRATION TO POLAND

Abstract

The analysis presented in the paper focuses on the attitudes of Poznan inhabitants towards the presence of foreigners on the Polish labour market. The presented results have been derived from a research project: ‘The level of trust among Poznan inhabitants towards foreigners and its sources,’ which was conducted from October 2009 to September 2010. It was based on two measurements: (i) questionnaire interviews (PAPI) conducted on a random sample of Poznan inhabitants (436) and (ii) more detailed interviews with selected inhabitants who have come in contact with foreigners living in Poland. The features typically attributed to the mentality of Poznan inhabitants determine the attitudes with respect to the migration of foreigners to Poland and their taking of jobs. There is a definite discrepancy between the two components of this Poznan mentality characterised by economic openness on the one hand, and resistance to change in the areas of culture and customs on the other. The expression of this bipolar nature of Poznan inhabitants attitudes with respect to foreigners is the high level acceptance of the presence of workers coming from Western Europe and North America, and a lower level of social acceptance of the immigration from the Far East, Muslim states, Caucasian republics, or the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, as well as – irrespective of the country of origin – a high level of expectations with respect to the assimilation to the local identity and cultural rites. Although the pragmatic attitude of economic openness among Poznan inhabitants currently prevails, it cannot be excluded that in the future it will be replaced by the resistance towards accepting foreigners originating from countries defined as culturally ‘other.’