The identity of PiS in relation to the European Union and integration

The purpose of this research project is to analyze and understand the relationship between the European Union and the Polish political party Law and Justice (Prawo i Sprawiedliwo??, PiS) in both the party’s present and past, with an emphasis on how the party has formed an identity in opposition to “European values” and creating a narrative of Polish history beneficial to its ideological arguments and beliefs, rubbing against a counter pan-European identity and integration. The expected outcome of this research is that PiS, throughout its history as a political organization, has connected itself with various national signifiers of Polish identity, such as the Catholic Church, as a way to enforce conformity in the Polish public and political sphere, leading to concerns over a weakness in Polish democracy. This, in turn, has led to a public conflict between PiS, who upholds its right to national sovereignty, and the European Union at large, which considers itself a defender against what it views as a member state slipping into authoritarianism.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ruben Zaiotti

Student:

Partner:

Jagiellonian University in Krakow

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Public Service, Policy, and Governance

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: