<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This article presents the special status of Poland, namely as a country that both sends out and takes in large numbers of migrant workers. Drawing on the world systems theory, the role attributed to Poland is that of semi-periphery, which means a specific kind of suspension between the status of an immigration centre, resembling western Europe, and the status of a migration periphery, such as the one constituted by the eastern part of the continent. Poland continues to be viewed as peripheral by its own citizens who decide to emigrate and, at the same time, becomes an immigration sub-centre for migrants coming from less-developed countries. In this article, the distinctive features of the special position of Poland are discussed. The conclusions drawn are supported by empirical evidence, including data on migration flows and interviews both with Poles working abroad and foreigners employed in Poland.</p></abstract>

This article presents the special status of Poland, namely as a country that both sends out and takes in large numbers of migrant workers. Drawing on the world systems theory, the role attributed to Poland is that of semi-periphery, which means a specific kind of suspension between the status of an immigration centre, resembling western Europe, and the status of a migration periphery, such as the one constituted by the eastern part of the continent. Poland continues to be viewed as peripheral by its own citizens who decide to emigrate and, at the same time, becomes an immigration sub-centre for migrants coming from less-developed countries. In this article, the distinctive features of the special position of Poland are discussed. The conclusions drawn are supported by empirical evidence, including data on migration flows and interviews both with Poles working abroad and foreigners employed in Poland.

<bold>Poland in international migrations</bold>: the perspective of world systems theory

Miscellanea Geographica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

: the perspective of world systems theory

This article presents the special status of Poland, namely as a country that both sends out and takes in large numbers of migrant workers. Drawing on the world...

Poland in international migrations: the perspective of world systems theory

Published Online: Apr 30, 2020

Page range: 94 - 103

Received: Aug 27, 2019

Accepted: Feb 07, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0005

Keywords
International labour migrations, immigration to Poland, centre–periphery division, Polish labour market

© 2020 Cezary Żołędowski, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Poland in international migrations: the perspective of world systems theory

Published Online: Apr 30, 2020

Page range: 94 - 103

Received: Aug 27, 2019

Accepted: Feb 07, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0005

KeywordsInternational labour migrations, immigration to Poland, centre–periphery division, Polish labour market

© 2020 Cezary Żołędowski, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
International labour migrations, immigration to Poland, centre–periphery division, Polish labour market