Biographical consequences of working abroad in the context of European mental space

• Authors: Kaja Kaźmierska , Andrzej Piotrowski , Katarzyna Waniek

Title variants

PL

Konsekwencje biograficzne pracy za granicą w kontekście europejskiej przestrzenimentalnej

• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Bringing to the fore the “bottom-up” perspective, i.e., the view of experiencing individuals, this article differentiates between types of work-related migration and mobility and discusses their biographical consequences in the context of the creation of European mental space. The findings based on a detailed analysis of autobiographical narrative interviews with transnational workers prove that a considerable number of people leave their country of origin for other than economic reasons. Among issues covered particular attention is given to two motives behind migration: “escape from” overwhelmingly unbearable life circumstances and “escape to” Europe in search for space of individual expression and development. Moreover, the paper considers the phenomenon of reconciliation with one’s country of origin as an aftermath of experiencing cultural otherness. It is, however, pointed out that migration or mobility reduced to work practices only is not a sufficient condition for the development of “European” identifications.

PL

Wysuwając na pierwszy plan „oddolną” perspektywę, a zatem punkt widzenia doświadczających jednostek, artykuł ten rozróżnia typy migracji i mobilności związanej z pracą i omawia ich biograficzne konsekwencje w kontekście tworzenia europejskiej przestrzeni mentalnej. Wnioski wyprowadzone ze szczegółowej analizy autobiograficznych wywiadów narracyjnych z transnarodowymi pracownikami pokazują, że istnieje znacząca liczba osób, które opuszczają swój kraj pochodzenia z innych powodów niż ekonomiczne. Wśród omawianych kwestii szczególna uwaga poświęcona jest dwóm motywom migracji: „ucieczce od” przytłaczająco nieznośnych warunków życia i „ucieczki do” Europy w poszukiwaniu przestrzeni ekspresji siebie i możliwości osobistego rozwoju. Co więcej, omówione zostaje zjawisko rekoncyliacji z krajem pochodzenia będące zazwyczaj następstwem spotkania z kulturową odmiennością. Podkreślony zostaje jednak fakt, że migracja czy mobilność zredukowana do samej pracy nie jest wystarczającym warunkiem dla rozwoju „europejskich” identyfikacji.

Keywords

EN

transnational work; migration; mobility; biography; European mental space; reconciliation

PL

praca transnarodowa; migracja; mobilność; biografia; europejska przestrzeń mentalna rekoncyliacja

• Publisher: Łódzkie Towarzystwo Naukowe, Stowarzyszenie
• Journal: Przegląd Socjologiczny
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 60
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 139-158

Dates

published

2011

Contributors

author

Kaja Kaźmierska

• Institute of Sociology, University of Łódź, Poland

author

Andrzej Piotrowski

• Institute of Sociology, University of Łódź, Poland

author

Katarzyna Waniek

• Institute of Sociology, University of Łódź, Poland

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Identifiers

ISSN

0033-2356