ABSTRACT The future of the European Union (EU) increasingly depends on the attitudes and opinions... more ABSTRACT The future of the European Union (EU) increasingly depends on the attitudes and opinions of its citizens. This article examines constructions of attitudes towards European integration among young residents living in urban centres in Poland. Work conducted in the field of European studies shows that territorial attachment and utilitarian approaches can shape attitudes towards the EU. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study analyses these social and political processes among 324 MA students living in five Polish cities. The results confirm a complex interaction of cost–benefit calculations and attachment-related mechanisms that shape support for EU integration within the sampled group.
We investigate methods for collecting data to form an archive on the debate within Twitter surrou... more We investigate methods for collecting data to form an archive on the debate within Twitter surrounding the UK's inclusion in the EU. We use three strategies, gathering data using hashtags, extracting data from the random stream and collecting from users known to be discussing the debate. We explore the various bias in the resulting datasets.
Twitter has identified 2,752 accounts that it believes are linked to the Internet Research Agency... more Twitter has identified 2,752 accounts that it believes are linked to the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian company that creates online propaganda. These accounts are known to have tweeted about the US 2016 Elections and the list was submitted as evidence by Twitter to the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism. There is no equivalent officially published list of accounts from the IRA known to be active in the UK-EU Referendum debate (Brexit), but we found that the troll accounts active on the 2016 US Election also produced content related to Brexit. We found 3,485 tweets from 419 of the accounts listed as IRA accounts which specifically discussed Brexit and related topics such as the EU and migration. We have been collating an archive of tweets related to Brexit since August 2015 and currently have over 70 million tweets. The Brexit referendum took place on the 23rd June 2016 and the UK voted to leave the European Union. We gathered the data using the Twitter API and a selection of hashtags chosen by a panel of academic experts. Currently we have in excess of fifty different hashtags and we add to the set periodically to accurately represent the evolving conversation. Twitter has closed the accounts that were documented in the Senate list meaning that these tweets are no longer available through the webpage or API. Due to Twitter's terms of service we are unable to share specific tweet text or user profile information but our findings, utilising text and metadata from derived and aggregated data, allows us to provide important insights into the behaviour of these trolls.
Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing... more Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
The Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei [SVP]) has increased its territorial extensi... more The Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei [SVP]) has increased its territorial extensiveness and organizational intensiveness in recent years, and has professionalised its strategies of communication. This article analyses the dynamics characterising the SVP's organization. It shows that with its locally rooted presence and its effort to generate ideological coherence, the party has embraced the "mass party" organizational model. It additionally assesses the extent to which the SVP's centralised power at the federal level is conducive to the party's further electoral success. Having considered both the party at national level and three of its most important cantonal branches, the article argues that the organizational dominance of the SVP's central leadership was beneficial for the party's electoral strength but will lead to tensions with cantonal and local branches, which are largely in charge, to build and maintain an active base.
This paper investigates the role of gender in shaping attitudes towards the European Union (EU) a... more This paper investigates the role of gender in shaping attitudes towards the European Union (EU) among young people living in Polish cities – the so-called ‘winners of European integration’. Previously, little attention has been given to gender as an influence on views on the EU. Most studies apply the gender-based perspective on Western Europe, while Central and Eastern European countries remain understudied. Based on theories on public opinion, I employ a mixed-methods approach, conducting a survey among 815 MA students living in Polish cities, followed by 27 semi-structured interviews. This analysis of gender-related attitudes towards the EU offers nuanced insights into transitions within post-communist societies. My findings posit that the sampled well-educated women are more likely to support EU integration than men. Education, gender-based individual cost-benefit analyses, and the perceptions of national politics are possible explanations for the positive attitudes towards the EU among the sampled women.
ABSTRACT The future of the European Union (EU) increasingly depends on the attitudes and opinions... more ABSTRACT The future of the European Union (EU) increasingly depends on the attitudes and opinions of its citizens. This article examines constructions of attitudes towards European integration among young residents living in urban centres in Poland. Work conducted in the field of European studies shows that territorial attachment and utilitarian approaches can shape attitudes towards the EU. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study analyses these social and political processes among 324 MA students living in five Polish cities. The results confirm a complex interaction of cost–benefit calculations and attachment-related mechanisms that shape support for EU integration within the sampled group.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisors, Professor Laura Cram and Professor Andr... more First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisors, Professor Laura Cram and Professor Andrew Thompson, for their constant guidance, patience, and invaluable mentorship throughout my PhD study. I could not have imagined having better mentors for my research and I hope I was able to repay their confidence and patience. This study would have been impossible without the 923 MA Polish students who gave me their time and filled out the questionnaire, and the 27 MA students who allowed me to interview them. I also want to express my gratitude to the academics, working at various universities in Poland, who allowed me to come to their classes to conduct my research. Thank you for supporting this project. Dr Marta Warat from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków deserves special praise for providing me with important insights into social and cultural factors prevalent among Polish MA students. I thank my office mates and friends at the University of Edinburgh for the insightful debates and for reading countless chapter drafts. Specifically, Luba Zatsepina, Shirley-Pat Chamberlain, and Cleo Davis, who were very helpful in improving my work and my academic rigour. This also extends to all friends living in Switzerland who were willing to discuss my findings and forced me to think carefully about the research design and the methods. These people include the Scheller family, Fredi Althaus, Chris Goodman, and Thomas Willi. Furthermore, I would especially like to thank Aleksandra Pomiećko, who was willing to read my whole thesis and to comment on it critically. My parents have made this research possible and their unconditional support throughout this time helped me to stay focused. I am eternally grateful that they believed in me and encouraged me, whenever I was insecure or did not know where I am going with my study. Finally, I want to thank Aleksandra Wiśniewska. She helped me in so many ways throughout this project and was always there to keep me sane and motivated. This journey would not have been possible if not for her. Thank you for believing in me.
Journal of Contemporary European Studies, Mar 29, 2019
The global network opened for Poland after the fall of the communist system but especially after ... more The global network opened for Poland after the fall of the communist system but especially after it became a member state of the European Union (EU). With accession to the EU came also the option of free movement and transnational mobility. This opportunity in turn created new possibilities for urban residents but the scholarly focus on macrostructural factors may overlook the impact of individual resources and local surroundings on exit strategies of well-educated Polish citizens. Based on semi-structured interviews with MA students in three Polish cities, this study evaluates how satisfaction with urban living conditions, perceived benefits of EU membership and place attachment affect the propensity to move amongst the urban educated youth. The results confirm a complex interaction of sense of belonging and individual cost-benefit analyses when the sampled students evaluate options to leave or stay.
The Swiss People’s Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei [SVP]) has increased its territorial extensi... more The Swiss People’s Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei [SVP]) has increased its territorial extensiveness and organisational intensiveness in recent years, and has professionalised its strategies of communication. This article analyses the dynamics characterising the SVP’s organisation. It shows that with its locally rooted presence and its effort to generate ideological coherence, the party has embraced the “mass party” organisational model. It additionally assesses the extent to which the SVP’s centralised power at the federal level is conducive to the party’s further electoral success. Having considered both the party at national level and three of its most important cantonal branches, the article argues that the organisational dominance of the SVP’s central leadership was beneficial for the party’s electoral strength but will lead to tensions with cantonal and local branches, which are largely in charge, to build and maintain an active base.
There is emerging understanding in the literature that voters who have a migration background acr... more There is emerging understanding in the literature that voters who have a migration background across Western countries tend to vote for left leaning parties. Yet little is known about whether this implies different drivers of vote choice for citizens with migration background in comparison to natives. This article intends to respond to this question by studying the impact of specific policy issue considerations on the vote of citizens with both migration and non-migration background. To do so, we focus on the 2015 and 2019 Swiss National elections, relying on data from the SELECTS post-electoral studies. Our analyses show that, while Swiss natives' voting choices are consistently affected by key political issues (i.e., foreigners' job market integration and the environment respectively), non-native voters are generally less driven by the main topics discussed at each election, although relevant differences emerge across different migrant backgrounds.
There is emerging understanding in the literature that voters who have a migration background acr... more There is emerging understanding in the literature that voters who have a migration background across Western countries tend to vote for left leaning parties. Yet little is known about whether this implies different drivers of vote choice for citizens with migration background in comparison to natives. This article intends to respond to this question by studying the impact of specific policy issue considerations on the vote of citizens with both migration and non-migration background. To do so, we focus on the 2015 and 2019 Swiss National elections, relying on data from the SELECTS post-electoral studies. Our analyses show that, while Swiss natives' voting choices are consistently affected by key political issues (i.e., foreigners' job market integration and the environment respectively), non-native voters are generally less driven by the main topics discussed at each election, although relevant differences emerge across different migrant backgrounds.
ABSTRACT The future of the European Union (EU) increasingly depends on the attitudes and opinions... more ABSTRACT The future of the European Union (EU) increasingly depends on the attitudes and opinions of its citizens. This article examines constructions of attitudes towards European integration among young residents living in urban centres in Poland. Work conducted in the field of European studies shows that territorial attachment and utilitarian approaches can shape attitudes towards the EU. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study analyses these social and political processes among 324 MA students living in five Polish cities. The results confirm a complex interaction of cost–benefit calculations and attachment-related mechanisms that shape support for EU integration within the sampled group.
We investigate methods for collecting data to form an archive on the debate within Twitter surrou... more We investigate methods for collecting data to form an archive on the debate within Twitter surrounding the UK's inclusion in the EU. We use three strategies, gathering data using hashtags, extracting data from the random stream and collecting from users known to be discussing the debate. We explore the various bias in the resulting datasets.
Twitter has identified 2,752 accounts that it believes are linked to the Internet Research Agency... more Twitter has identified 2,752 accounts that it believes are linked to the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian company that creates online propaganda. These accounts are known to have tweeted about the US 2016 Elections and the list was submitted as evidence by Twitter to the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism. There is no equivalent officially published list of accounts from the IRA known to be active in the UK-EU Referendum debate (Brexit), but we found that the troll accounts active on the 2016 US Election also produced content related to Brexit. We found 3,485 tweets from 419 of the accounts listed as IRA accounts which specifically discussed Brexit and related topics such as the EU and migration. We have been collating an archive of tweets related to Brexit since August 2015 and currently have over 70 million tweets. The Brexit referendum took place on the 23rd June 2016 and the UK voted to leave the European Union. We gathered the data using the Twitter API and a selection of hashtags chosen by a panel of academic experts. Currently we have in excess of fifty different hashtags and we add to the set periodically to accurately represent the evolving conversation. Twitter has closed the accounts that were documented in the Senate list meaning that these tweets are no longer available through the webpage or API. Due to Twitter's terms of service we are unable to share specific tweet text or user profile information but our findings, utilising text and metadata from derived and aggregated data, allows us to provide important insights into the behaviour of these trolls.
Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing... more Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
The Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei [SVP]) has increased its territorial extensi... more The Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei [SVP]) has increased its territorial extensiveness and organizational intensiveness in recent years, and has professionalised its strategies of communication. This article analyses the dynamics characterising the SVP's organization. It shows that with its locally rooted presence and its effort to generate ideological coherence, the party has embraced the "mass party" organizational model. It additionally assesses the extent to which the SVP's centralised power at the federal level is conducive to the party's further electoral success. Having considered both the party at national level and three of its most important cantonal branches, the article argues that the organizational dominance of the SVP's central leadership was beneficial for the party's electoral strength but will lead to tensions with cantonal and local branches, which are largely in charge, to build and maintain an active base.
This paper investigates the role of gender in shaping attitudes towards the European Union (EU) a... more This paper investigates the role of gender in shaping attitudes towards the European Union (EU) among young people living in Polish cities – the so-called ‘winners of European integration’. Previously, little attention has been given to gender as an influence on views on the EU. Most studies apply the gender-based perspective on Western Europe, while Central and Eastern European countries remain understudied. Based on theories on public opinion, I employ a mixed-methods approach, conducting a survey among 815 MA students living in Polish cities, followed by 27 semi-structured interviews. This analysis of gender-related attitudes towards the EU offers nuanced insights into transitions within post-communist societies. My findings posit that the sampled well-educated women are more likely to support EU integration than men. Education, gender-based individual cost-benefit analyses, and the perceptions of national politics are possible explanations for the positive attitudes towards the EU among the sampled women.
ABSTRACT The future of the European Union (EU) increasingly depends on the attitudes and opinions... more ABSTRACT The future of the European Union (EU) increasingly depends on the attitudes and opinions of its citizens. This article examines constructions of attitudes towards European integration among young residents living in urban centres in Poland. Work conducted in the field of European studies shows that territorial attachment and utilitarian approaches can shape attitudes towards the EU. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study analyses these social and political processes among 324 MA students living in five Polish cities. The results confirm a complex interaction of cost–benefit calculations and attachment-related mechanisms that shape support for EU integration within the sampled group.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisors, Professor Laura Cram and Professor Andr... more First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisors, Professor Laura Cram and Professor Andrew Thompson, for their constant guidance, patience, and invaluable mentorship throughout my PhD study. I could not have imagined having better mentors for my research and I hope I was able to repay their confidence and patience. This study would have been impossible without the 923 MA Polish students who gave me their time and filled out the questionnaire, and the 27 MA students who allowed me to interview them. I also want to express my gratitude to the academics, working at various universities in Poland, who allowed me to come to their classes to conduct my research. Thank you for supporting this project. Dr Marta Warat from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków deserves special praise for providing me with important insights into social and cultural factors prevalent among Polish MA students. I thank my office mates and friends at the University of Edinburgh for the insightful debates and for reading countless chapter drafts. Specifically, Luba Zatsepina, Shirley-Pat Chamberlain, and Cleo Davis, who were very helpful in improving my work and my academic rigour. This also extends to all friends living in Switzerland who were willing to discuss my findings and forced me to think carefully about the research design and the methods. These people include the Scheller family, Fredi Althaus, Chris Goodman, and Thomas Willi. Furthermore, I would especially like to thank Aleksandra Pomiećko, who was willing to read my whole thesis and to comment on it critically. My parents have made this research possible and their unconditional support throughout this time helped me to stay focused. I am eternally grateful that they believed in me and encouraged me, whenever I was insecure or did not know where I am going with my study. Finally, I want to thank Aleksandra Wiśniewska. She helped me in so many ways throughout this project and was always there to keep me sane and motivated. This journey would not have been possible if not for her. Thank you for believing in me.
Journal of Contemporary European Studies, Mar 29, 2019
The global network opened for Poland after the fall of the communist system but especially after ... more The global network opened for Poland after the fall of the communist system but especially after it became a member state of the European Union (EU). With accession to the EU came also the option of free movement and transnational mobility. This opportunity in turn created new possibilities for urban residents but the scholarly focus on macrostructural factors may overlook the impact of individual resources and local surroundings on exit strategies of well-educated Polish citizens. Based on semi-structured interviews with MA students in three Polish cities, this study evaluates how satisfaction with urban living conditions, perceived benefits of EU membership and place attachment affect the propensity to move amongst the urban educated youth. The results confirm a complex interaction of sense of belonging and individual cost-benefit analyses when the sampled students evaluate options to leave or stay.
The Swiss People’s Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei [SVP]) has increased its territorial extensi... more The Swiss People’s Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei [SVP]) has increased its territorial extensiveness and organisational intensiveness in recent years, and has professionalised its strategies of communication. This article analyses the dynamics characterising the SVP’s organisation. It shows that with its locally rooted presence and its effort to generate ideological coherence, the party has embraced the “mass party” organisational model. It additionally assesses the extent to which the SVP’s centralised power at the federal level is conducive to the party’s further electoral success. Having considered both the party at national level and three of its most important cantonal branches, the article argues that the organisational dominance of the SVP’s central leadership was beneficial for the party’s electoral strength but will lead to tensions with cantonal and local branches, which are largely in charge, to build and maintain an active base.
There is emerging understanding in the literature that voters who have a migration background acr... more There is emerging understanding in the literature that voters who have a migration background across Western countries tend to vote for left leaning parties. Yet little is known about whether this implies different drivers of vote choice for citizens with migration background in comparison to natives. This article intends to respond to this question by studying the impact of specific policy issue considerations on the vote of citizens with both migration and non-migration background. To do so, we focus on the 2015 and 2019 Swiss National elections, relying on data from the SELECTS post-electoral studies. Our analyses show that, while Swiss natives' voting choices are consistently affected by key political issues (i.e., foreigners' job market integration and the environment respectively), non-native voters are generally less driven by the main topics discussed at each election, although relevant differences emerge across different migrant backgrounds.
There is emerging understanding in the literature that voters who have a migration background acr... more There is emerging understanding in the literature that voters who have a migration background across Western countries tend to vote for left leaning parties. Yet little is known about whether this implies different drivers of vote choice for citizens with migration background in comparison to natives. This article intends to respond to this question by studying the impact of specific policy issue considerations on the vote of citizens with both migration and non-migration background. To do so, we focus on the 2015 and 2019 Swiss National elections, relying on data from the SELECTS post-electoral studies. Our analyses show that, while Swiss natives' voting choices are consistently affected by key political issues (i.e., foreigners' job market integration and the environment respectively), non-native voters are generally less driven by the main topics discussed at each election, although relevant differences emerge across different migrant backgrounds.
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