Migrating Later in Life: Older Polish Migrants in the UK
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Migrating Later in Life: Older Polish Migrants in the UK _________________________________________________ PhD Thesis Judith McKeon This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy School of Humanities Faculty of Art, Design & Humanities De Montfort University March 2014 Declaration __________________________________________________________________ I, Judith McKeon, declare that the main text of this thesis entitled Migrating Later in Life: Older Polish Migrants in the UK is entirely my own work. This work has not been previously submitted wholly or in part for any academic award or qualification other than that for which it is now submitted. i Abstract ______________________________________________________________ Despite the plethora of research on migration, little is known about behaviours and experiences of older working age migrants. This thesis focuses on Polish migrants aged 45 – 65, who have arrived in the UK since 2004 looking for work and better opportunities. The purpose of the study is to explore links between age and migration by investigating older migrants who are still economically active. Thirty five interviews were carried out across the UK using an oral history qualitative approach. These migrants were particularly affected by redundancy during the transitional period from socialism to capitalism in Poland; they then found it almost impossible to find other work because of their age. The decision to migrate may have been influenced by an early exposure to Western influences; however, it was the impact of unemployment and debt that led to a re-evaluation of their lives. Although they may be at different family stages, these older migrants’ shared background and perception of their lack of value has shaped their migration experience. They represent parents, grandparents, sons, daughters, married couples, widows and single persons; this age group gives a more complete and nuanced picture of family life and relationships. The emotional costs are high when families are separated through migration, especially when elderly parents are involved. Despite the wide age range, family experiences are often very similar, with preferences for staying at home and watching Polish television. However, the opportunity of employment in the UK has given them an economic and social value no longer available to them in their homeland. As so much of their life course has been invested in Poland, many see no need to learn English; it is not a priority as they have virtual social interactions with family and friends in Poland and continue to inhabit a Polish-speaking world. This age group are also more likely to be pioneer migrants, accessing new destinations. ii Acknowledgements ________________________________________________________________ I would like to express my deepest thanks to my supervisors who have encouraged and supported me on this journey. Kathy Burrell has given me her expert advice and guidance throughout and has always been there for me when I needed her; I could not have written this thesis without Kathy’s constant support. I am eternally grateful for her thorough and detailed reading of all the chapters and for the way she has guided me through the process. I am equally appreciative of the support and suggestions from Panikos Panayi, who stepped in when needed and gave me confidence that I could complete the journey. It would be difficult to find a better supervisory team and I have been extremely fortunate to benefit from their knowledge and expertise. I would also like to thank all the wonderful Polish people who made this study possible. They shared their life experiences with me as well as lots of tea and Polish cakes. I hope that I have told their stories well. My heartfelt thanks go to those closest to me, who gave me courage and accompanied me on the journey. I could not have reached my destination without them. iii Dedication ___________________________________________________________________ This work is dedicated to my children Kati, Daniel and Eloise, who are all experiencing their own migratory journeys. iv Contents _________________________________________________________________ DECLARATION .............................................................................................................................................. I ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................... II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...........................................................................................................................III DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................................... IV CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................................. V GLOSSARY ................................................................................................................................................ VII CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO STUDY .......................................................................................... 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 THE AGE ISSUE ..................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 AGE AND LIFE COURSE ......................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 RESEARCH AIMS ................................................................................................................................... 9 1.5 RESEARCH CONTEXT .......................................................................................................................... 10 1.6 RESEARCH DESIGN ............................................................................................................................. 12 1.7 CONTEXT OF STUDY ........................................................................................................................... 12 1.8 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON POLISH MIGRATION ........................................................................... 14 1.9 THE IMPACT ON THE UK ..................................................................................................................... 17 1.10 ANTI-POLISH SENTIMENTS ................................................................................................................. 21 1.11 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................................. 22 1.12 CHAPTER OUTLINE ............................................................................................................................. 23 1.13 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER 2 METHODS AND METHODOLOGY .............................................................................. 25 2.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 25 2.2 RESEARCH DESIGN ............................................................................................................................. 25 2.3 IDENTIFYING THE AGE GROUP ............................................................................................................. 28 2.4 USE OF TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS ...................................................................................... 31 2.5 INTERVIEWS ........................................................................................................................................ 35 2.6 ANALYSING QUALITATIVE DATA .......................................................................................................... 40 2.7 QUESTIONNAIRES ............................................................................................................................... 42 2.8 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................. 45 CHAPTER 3 THE MIGRATION EXPERIENCE ................................................................................. 48 3.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 48 3.2 EARLY INFLUENCES ............................................................................................................................ 49 3.3 LIVING IN POLITICAL TRANSITION ....................................................................................................... 54 3.4 EXPECTATIONS OF MIGRATION ........................................................................................................... 57 3.5 LIFE AS ECONOMIC MIGRANTS ........................................................................................................... 66 3.6 MIGRANT LIFESTYLE IN THE UK ......................................................................................................... 75 3.7 SOCIAL NETWORKS............................................................................................................................