Gendered migrations : an exploration of the influence of migration on Polish women's perception of gender roles

Duda-Mikulin, Ewa A.

Abstract

Following the expansion of the European Union (EU) in 2004, migration from the new
Accession 8 EU Member States to the United Kingdom (UK) has been identified as one of the
most significant international migratory movements to the UK in recent times. The largest
member of these states is Poland and the UK has been the most common destination for Polish
migrants post 2004. Arguably, there is limited literature that focuses solely on women; indeed,
women migrants were invisible until the 1970s. In relation to A8 migration, gender and gender
roles are an under-researched area. The aim of this thesis is to fill this gap and offer new insights
with regard to the influence of the migratory experience on Polish women’s lives and the way
they negotiate their gender roles through migration. This thesis contributes new and unique
evidence to the debates surrounding migration, gender, Polish women and comparative social
policy, in particular with regard to the role of networks in migration; enduring and new push
and pull factors; the icon of ‘Matka Polka’ and work-life balance.
Through the use of 32 qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews with Polish migrant
women resident in two countries – the UK and Poland, this thesis considers the factors that
motivate the initial and any subsequent ‘return’ international migratory movements undertaken
by Polish women between the UK and Poland. Additionally, the ways in which Polish migrant
women (re)negotiate their gender roles in regard to paid work and informal familial care across
time and space are explored. It is concluded that motivations for migration as well as motives
to remain in the host country are often related to economic factors and the availability of migrant
networks. It is shown that the migratory process may indeed influence women’s perception of
gender roles which seem to be re-evaluated post migration.

Citation

Duda-Mikulin, E. A. (in press). Gendered migrations : an exploration of the influence of migration on Polish women's perception of gender roles. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Aug 25, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 25, 2015
• Related Public URLs: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ewadudamikulin; https://salford.academia.edu/EwaDudaMikulin