Key research themes
1. How is the sociolinguistic vitality and communicative value of the Polish language evolving among Ukrainian students and minority communities?
This body of research investigates the status, perception, and practical utility of the Polish language among Ukrainian university students and Polish minorities in Ukraine. It examines factors determining language power and vitality—such as demographic presence, educational institutional support, cultural prestige, and economic motivations—and how these influence attitudes towards learning and using Polish. Understanding these dynamics is vital for language policy, preservation of minority languages, transnational cultural exchange, and planning Polish language education programs in Ukraine and border areas.
2. What are the dynamics and sociopolitical implications of Polish bilingualism and multilingualism among diaspora and migrant communities?
This theme addresses individual and social bilingualism involving the Polish language, focusing on heritage speakers in diaspora contexts (such as Germany and Romania) and expatriates in Poland. It explores language attitudes, transgenerational pragmatic shifts (e.g., formal address forms), motivations for language learning among expatriates, and the complex interplay of languages in family and societal domains. Research in this area provides insights into language contact phenomena, maintenance versus shift processes, and sociocultural integration within minority and migrant populations, contributing to broader understandings of heritage language dynamics and multilingualism.
3. How do historical narratives and collective memory impact Polish-Jewish relations and Polish national identity in the context of Holocaust and postwar experiences?
This theme explores the reframing of Polish history by integrating Holocaust memory and Jewish experiences, challenging traditional nationalistic narratives. It investigates the societal and historiographical consequences of acknowledging Jewish suffering and the subsequent effects on Polish-Jewish relations, collective identities, and political attitudes. The research elucidates mechanisms of mnemonic security and contested remembrance within museums and public discourse, with implications for addressing ethnic democracy, authoritarian legacies, and the pluricultural realities of Poland’s past and present.