European Studies Unit

Dr hab. Joanna Fomina, prof. IFiS PAN – Head
Dr Edit Zgut
Steven Davis M.Sc

Тhe European Studies Unit conducts sociological research on the European integration processes. The sociology of European integration takes a “bottom-up” view, in contrast to the still dominant “top-down” perspective, which consists of analysing European law and its impact on national law; relations between European institutions and with the Member States; patterns of governance; relations between the Member States within the Union and with non-EU countries and more.

The European Studies Unit’s research focuses primarily on the processes of Europeanisation of the EU member-states’ societies; the political, social and cultural factors as well as effects of European integration; sources of support for the idea of coexistence and cooperation within the community of European countries and EU enlargement and other socio-political issues related to European integration. The relevance of this perspective stems, i.a. from the fact that without social support the existence of such a complex organism as the European Union would not be possible. At the same time, understanding the socio-political and cultural effects of European integration processes is essential not only for analysing support for the European project, but also for better understanding the research driven by the “top-down” perspective as well as informing the EU level policy making. The sociology of European integration draws on contributions from the sociology of culture, the sociology of social movements, the sociology of organisations, the sociology of knowledge, the sociology of politics, the sociology of migration and others.

The European Studies Unit was founded by Prof. Józef Niżnik, who led its work for more than two decades, actively engaging doctoral students from the School of Social Sciences in the collaboration.  After Prof. Niżnik’s retirement in 2023 prof. Joanna Fomina has become the new Head of the Unit. Prof. Katarzyna Andrejuk, currently Head of the Sociology of Migration Unit, was also a member of the Team for several years.

Selected publications:

• Niżnik, Józef, Facing Nationalisms in the European Union, Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Newcastle upon Thyne, 2022.
• Fomina, Joanna, Political Dissent and Democratic Remittances. The Activities of Russian Migrants in Europe, Routdlege: New York and London, 2022.
• Polska w Europie jutra. Polityka europejska Polski w kontekście zmian międzynarodowych XXI wieku, pod red. J. Niżnika, IFiS PAN: Warszawa, 2021.
• Fomina, Joanna Fomina i Małgorzata Kopka-Piątek, Polexit w polskiej debacie publicznej. Instytut Spaw Pubilcznych: Warszawa, 2021.
• Fomina, Joanna, “Voice, exit and voice again: democratic remittances by recent Russian emigrants to the EU”, Journal of Ethnic and Migration, 2021, 47(11), pp. 2439–2458.
• Fomina, Joanna, “The Emerging European Public Sphere in the Face of Russia’s Information War”, In: In Search of a European Public Sphere: Challenges, Opportunities and Prospects, edited by Małgorzata Winiarska-Brodowska, Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
• Fomina, Joanna and Roch Dunin-Wąsowicz, “The Euromaidan Moment: The Making of Ukrainian Diasporic Civil Society in Poland.” In Democracy, Diaspora, Territory: Europe and Cross-Border Politics, edited by Olga Oleinikova, Jumana Bayeh, New York: Routledge, 2019: 91-111.
• “Of “Patriots” and Citizens: Asymmetric Populist Polarization in Poland.” In Democracies Divided: The Global Challenge of Political Polarization, edited by Thomas Carothers and Andrew O’Donohue, Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2019.
• Europe on test: the onus of the past, by J. Fomina and J. Niżnik, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, 2019.
• Fomina, Joanna, „The unlikely eurosceptics: The undercurrent Anti-European attitudes among the young Poles and the role of the domestic context”, Polish Sociological Review, 2017, 198(2), pp. 141–165
• Fomina, Joanna, „The EU failed, we need more EU? The public perceptions of the EU and european integration in the context of Russian-Ukrainian military conflict and the ‘migration crisis’”. In Why Europe?: Narratives and Counter-narratives of European Integration, edited by A. Bârgăoanu, R. Buturoiu and L.Radu, Peter Lang: Frankfurt am Main, 2017, pp. 169–183.
• Fomina, Joanna and Jacek Kucharczyk, „The Specter Haunting Europe: Populism and protest in Poland”, Journal of Democracy, 2016, 27(4), pp. 58–68.

Adres: Instytut Filozofii i Socjologii PAN,
00–330 Warszawa, ul. Nowy Świat 72, pokój 104,
tel. 22 657–27–65

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