FACULTEIT SOCIALE WETENSCHAPPEN Polish EU Officials in Brussels: Living on Europlanet? Julia ROZANSKA Proefschrift aangeboden tot het verkrijgen van de graad van Doctor in de Sociale en culturele antropologie Promotor: Em. Prof. Dr. Johan Leman Copromotor: Prof. Dr. Noel Salazar Onderzoekseenheid: Centrum Interculturalisme, Migratie en Minderheden [IMMRC] 2017 FACULTEIT SOCIALE WETENSCHAPPEN Polish EU Officials in Brussels: Living on Europlanet? Julia ROZANSKA Proefschrift aangeboden tot het verkrijgen van de graad van Doctor in de Sociale en culturele antropologie Nr. 317 2017 Samenstelling van de examencommissie: Prof. Dr. Rudi Laermans (voorzitter) Em. Prof. Dr. Johan Leman (promotor) Prof. Dr. Noel Salazar (copromotor) Prof. Dr. Idesbald Goddeeris [KU Leuven] Prof. Dr. Ching Lin Pang [KU Leuven] Prof. Dr. Christiane Stallaert [Universiteit Antwerpen] Prof. Dr. Maryon McDonald [University of Cambridge, UK] De verantwoordelijkheid voor de ingenomen standpunten berust alleen bij de auteur. Gepubliceerd door: Onderzoekseenheid: Centrum Interculturalisme, Migratie en Minderheden [IMMRC], KU Leuven, Parkstraat 45 bus 3615 -- 3000 Leuven, België. ” 2017 by the author. Niets uit deze uitgave mag worden verveelvoudigd zonder voorafgaande schriftelijke toestemming van de auteur / No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author. D/2017/8978/5 ! 1! Acknowledgements.............................................................................................................5! Chapter.1..Introduction.......................................................................................................7! 1.1..Outline.of.the.content.........................................................................................................10! 1.2..Presentation.and.the.added.value.of.my.research...............................................................13! 1.3..Setting.the.context..............................................................................................................16! 1.3.1.!Poles!in!Belgium!.................................................................................................................!16! 1.3.2.!EU!officials!as!elites!...........................................................................................................!18! 1.3.3.!The!EU!institutions!and!their!staff!.....................................................................................!22! 1.3.4.!The!heterogeneous!culture!of!the!European!Commission!................................................!23! 1.3.5.!Recruitment!of!EU!civil!servants!........................................................................................!26! 1.3.6.!EU!officials!from!new!member!states:!similar!or!different?!..............................................!27! 1.3.7.!“Eurocrats”:!who!they!are!.................................................................................................!28! 1.3.8.!Brussels!..............................................................................................................................!29! 1.3.8.1.!The!multifaceted!and!pluricultural!character!of!Brussels!.........................................................!30! 1.3.8.2.!The!impact!of!the!EU!institutions!on!Brussels!..........................................................................!31! Chapter.2..Theoretical.framework.....................................................................................35! 2.1..Community.and.criteria.of.exclusion.and.inclusion..............................................................35! 2.1.1.!The!concept!of!community!................................................................................................!36! 2.1.1.1.!Community!as!a!relational!and!symbolic!construct!..................................................................!36! 2.1.1.2.!From!geographically!delineated!community!to!community!in!mind!........................................!37! 2.1.2.!Boundaries!.........................................................................................................................!38! 2.1.3.!Stereotypes!........................................................................................................................!42! 2.1.3.1.!Legacy!of!a!stereotyped!view!of!the!Poles!in!Belgium!..............................................................!44! 2.1.3.2.!Stereotyping!Eurocrats!in!Belgium!............................................................................................!45! 2.1.3.3.!Polish!EU!officials:!a!double!scapegoat?!...................................................................................!48! 2.2..On.the.road:.movement.and.movers...................................................................................50! 2.2.1.!Migration,!mobility!and!boundaries!..................................................................................!50! 2.2.2.!HighSskilled!foreigners:!privileged!movers!........................................................................!52! 2.2.3.!Mobility!within!the!European!Union:!before!and!after!the!EU!enlargement!....................!54! 2.2.4.!Eurocrats:!migrants!or!expats?!..........................................................................................!55! 2.3..Starting.a.new.life:.adaptation.and.integration...................................................................57! 2.3.1.!Complexity!in!social!and!cultural!integration!....................................................................!59! 2.3.2.!Integration!.........................................................................................................................!63! 2.3.3.!Adaptation!.........................................................................................................................!65! 2.3.4.!Transnationalism!...............................................................................................................!67! 2.3.5.!Integration!and!adaptation!of!expatriates!in!Brussels!.......................................................!70! 2.3.6.!Integration!of!EU!officials!in!Brussels!................................................................................!72! 2.4..Expatriates.and.EU.officials.in.the.host.society....................................................................74! 2.4.1.!Creation!and!manipulation!of!“social!boundaries”!in!the!expatriate!world!......................!74! 2.4.2.!Within!the!boundaries:!the!social!life!of!expatriates!.........................................................!75! 2.4.3.!Across!the!boundaries:!“expatriates’!spaces”!...................................................................!77! 2.4.4.!Social!life!of!expats!in!Brussels!..........................................................................................!78! 2.4.5.!Socialising!practices!and!spatial!encapsulation!of!EU!officials!..........................................!81! 2.4.5.1.!WorkStime!social!networks!in!Brussels:!national!or!multinational?!.........................................!81! 2.4.5.2.!Nationality!and!socialising!practices!of!the!employees!of!the!EU!institutions!.........................!82! 2.4.5.3.!Free!time!networking!vs.!work!time!networking:!separation!or!continuum?!..........................!83! 2.4.5.4.!The!EU!officials!and!the!Belgians!..............................................................................................!84! 2.4.5.5.!Eurocrat!enclaves!in!Brussels?!..................................................................................................!85! 2.5..Identification.and.its.bases..................................................................................................86! 2.5.1.!The!notion!of!identification!...............................................................................................!88! 2.5.2.!Identity,!space!and!placeSmaking!in!the!mobility!context!.................................................!89! 2! ! 2.5.3.!Ethnicity:!theoretical!considerations!.................................................................................!92! 2.5.4.!Nation!and!Nationalism!.....................................................................................................!96! 2.5.4.1.!The!concepts!of!nation,!ethnicity!and!nationalism!...................................................................!96! 2.5.4.2.!The!civic!versus!the!ethnic!model!of!nation!and!nationalism!...................................................!97! 2.5.4.3.!National!identity:!now!and!tomorrow!......................................................................................!98! 2.6..Polishness.........................................................................................................................100! 2.6.1.!Distinctiveness!and!sameness!.........................................................................................!101! 2.6.2.!Polishness!as!a!constructed!identity!................................................................................!103! 2.6.3.!Polish!identity!today!–!conflicting!discourses!..................................................................!106! 2.6.4.!Polishness!and!Europe!.....................................................................................................!107! 2.7..Europe,.Europeanness.and.related.notions.......................................................................108! 2.7.1.!Europe:!boundaries!and!“cultural!stuff”!inside!...............................................................!109! 2.7.2.!Europeanness!..................................................................................................................!110! 2.7.3.!European!Union!...............................................................................................................!111! 2.7.4.!Enlargement!of!the!EU!and!its!implications!....................................................................!112! 2.7.5.!Europeanization!...............................................................................................................!114! 2.7.6.!European!integration!.......................................................................................................!116! 2.8..Towards.European.identity...............................................................................................117! 2.8.1.!Defining!European!identity!..............................................................................................!117! 2.8.2.!The!making!of!European!identity!....................................................................................!118! 2.8.3.!What!kind!of!European!identity!is!possible?!...................................................................!120! 2.8.4.!National!and!European!levels!of!identification!...............................................................!121! 2.8.5.!European!identity!and!the!Other!.....................................................................................!124! 2.8.6.!European!identity!as!a!product!of!the!EU!........................................................................!125! 2.8.7.!European!lifestyles!and!values!and!identification!with!Europe!.......................................!127! 2.8.8.!Mobility!and!its!impact!on!Europe!and!feeling!European!...............................................!127! 2.8.9.!EU!officials!and!their!identity!..........................................................................................!128! 2.8.9.1.!The!process!of!“engrenage”!and!its!role!.................................................................................!128! 2.8.9.2.!The!multiple!identities!of!EU!officials!.....................................................................................!131! 2.8.9.3.!Being!a!foreigner!and!EU!official:!the!creation!of!a!sense!of!belonging!.................................!132! Chapter.3..Methodology.................................................................................................135! 3.1..Epistemological.underpinnings.of.the.research.................................................................135! 3.2..The.personal.context.of.the.research................................................................................136! 3.3..Gaining.access.from.a.perspective.of.“quasiRinsider”.........................................................140! 3.4..Research.sites...................................................................................................................145! 3.5..Research.participants........................................................................................................146! 3.6..Methods.employed...........................................................................................................148! 3.6.1.!Participant!observation!...................................................................................................!149! 3.6.2.!Questionnaires!................................................................................................................!151! 3.6.3.!Interviewing!.....................................................................................................................!153! 3.7..Data.analysis.and.writing.up.data:.a.note.on.possibility.of.being.objective........................156! 3.8..Definition.and.methodological.challenges.of.the.anthropology.of.elites............................159! 3.9..How.ethnographic.is.my.research?....................................................................................164! Chapter.4..Research.findings...........................................................................................169! 4.1..The.Polish.EU.officials.in.Brussels......................................................................................170! 4.1.1.!Who!they!are:!a!presentation!of!the!principal!actors!in!my!research!.............................!170! 4.1.2.!Why!they!are!here!...........................................................................................................!191! 4.1.2.1.!Motivation!to!come!and!intention!to!stay!in!Brussels!............................................................!191! 4.1.2.2.!Reasons!for!taking!part!in!the!competition!and!working!in!the!EU!institutions!.....................!193! 4.1.2.3.!Motivation!to!stay!or!leave!Belgium!and!the!EU!institutions!.................................................!196! 4.1.3.!Their!spaces!.....................................................................................................................!197! ! 3! 4.1.3.1.!Insignificant!role!of!the!Polish!Church!....................................................................................!198! 4.1.3.2.!Meeting!places!of!the!Polish!EU!institutions!community!.......................................................!199! 4.1.3.3.!The!Virtual!Community!of!Polish!EU!officials!in!Brussels!........................................................!202! 4.1.4.!Conclusions!on!“Who!they!are”,!“Why!they!are!here”!and!“their!spaces”!.....................!205! 4.2..The.perception.of.the.host.environment:.Poles.in.Brussels,.local.society.and.space..........208! 4.2.1.!Brussels!............................................................................................................................!209! 4.2.1.1.!Perception!of!Brussels:!before!and!after!arrival!.....................................................................!209! 4.2.1.2.!Book!of!complaints!and!compliments!about!Belgium!............................................................!215! 4.2.1.3.!Criticism!regarding!the!local!“reality”!.....................................................................................!219! 4.2.2.!Polish!communities!in!Brussels:!one!or!more?!................................................................!222! 4.2.3.!Conclusions!on!“the!host!environment”!.........................................................................!238! 4.3..Integration.from.the.EU.officials’.perspective....................................................................243! 4.3.1.!Adaptation!and!integration!in!Brussels!...........................................................................!244! 4.3.1.1.!Being!adapted!as!understood!by!Polish!EU!officials!...............................................................!245! 4.3.1.2.!How!does!it!work!in!practice?!.................................................................................................!250! 4.3.1.3.!Eagerness!and!ability!to!speak!the!local!languages:!evolution!...............................................!255! 4.3.1.4.!Spatial!arrangements:!leaving!an!EU!bubble?!........................................................................!259! 4.3.1.4.1.!The!current!spatial!arrangement!of!the!Polish!EU!officials!.............................................!260! 4.3.1.4.2.!Evolution!in!spatial!arrangements!of!the!follow!up!group!..............................................!264! 4.3.1.5.!Interest!in!local!matters!..........................................................................................................!265! 4.3.1.6.!Social!activities!and!associative!life!.........................................................................................!270! 4.3.1.7.!Attachment!to!Brussels:!what!if!the!EU!institutions!moved!to!another!city?!.........................!273! 4.3.1.8.!Brussels:!the!city!of!expats?!....................................................................................................!276! 4.3.1.9.!Place!of!“belonging”!................................................................................................................!279! 4.3.2.!Daily!life!...........................................................................................................................!281! 4.3.2.1.!Change!of!lifestyle!after!arrival!in!Brussels?!...........................................................................!282! 4.3.2.2.!Spare!time:!“expat”!spaces!or!Belgian!spaces?!.......................................................................!284! 4.3.2.3.!Attending!EU!restricted!social!events!.....................................................................................!289! 4.3.2.4.!Belgian!public!celebrations!.....................................................................................................!290! 4.3.3.!Social!life!..........................................................................................................................!291! 4.3.3.1.!Working!overtime?!.................................................................................................................!291! 4.3.3.2.!Making!friends!in!Brussels!......................................................................................................!297! 4.3.3.3.!The!circles!of!friends:!mixing!private!and!professional!contacts?!..........................................!303! 4.3.3.4.!Evolution!of!social!contacts!....................................................................................................!307! 4.3.4.!Conclusions!on!integration!..............................................................................................!316! 4.4..Perception.of.attitudes.towards.Polish.EU.officials............................................................322! 4.4.1.!“Are![we!still]!the!land!of!cleaning!ladies!and!construction!workers”?!...........................!322! 4.4.2.!“We!don’t!work,!have!too!big!salaries,!are!arrogant!and!don’t!want!to!integrate”:! stereotypes!on!Eurocrats,!perception!of!xenophobic!attitudes!................................................!324! 4.4.3.!New!member!states’!officials!as!“distant!Others”?!.........................................................!328! 4.4.3.1.!Attitude!of!old!member!states’!officials!to!Polish!EU!officials!and!Poles!in!general!...............!328! 4.4.3.2.!Attitude!of!Belgians!toward!the!EU!officials!and!Poles!in!general!..........................................!330! 4.4.4.!Conclusions!on!the!perception!of!attitudes!toward!Polish!EU!officials!...........................!332! 4.5..Transnationalism...............................................................................................................334! 4.5.1.!Contacts!with!Poland:!tangible!connection!.....................................................................!335! 4.5.1.1.!Contact!with!the!home!country!..............................................................................................!335! 4.5.1.2.!Frequency!and!quality!of!contacts!with!friends!in!Poland,!possible!evolution!.......................!337! 4.5.1.3.!Celebrating!important!feasts!..................................................................................................!340! 4.5.1.4.!Access!to!Polish!goods!and!services!........................................................................................!341! 4.5.1.5.!Close!friends:!in!Belgium!or!in!Poland?!...................................................................................!343! 4.5.2.!Mental!connection!..........................................................................................................!345! 4.5.2.1.!Main!sources!of!information!...................................................................................................!345! 4.5.2.2.!Following!the!developments!in!Poland!and!understanding!Poland!today!.............................!348! 4.5.2.3.!Would!they!come!back!to!Poland?!.........................................................................................!356! 4.5.3.!Conclusions!on!transnationalism!.....................................................................................!361! 4! ! 4.6..Identification.patterns......................................................................................................362! 4.6.1.!Identification!of!Polish!EU!officials:!different!levels!........................................................!363! 4.6.2.!Polishness!........................................................................................................................!365! 4.6.2.1.!Important!historical!events!.....................................................................................................!367! 4.6.2.2.!Important!Polish!historical!figures!..........................................................................................!370! 4.6.2.3.!What!does!it!mean!to!be!Polish?!............................................................................................!372! 4.6.2.4.!Polish!national!features!..........................................................................................................!377! 4.6.2.5.!Polish!traditions!and!ways!of!maintenance!of!Polishness!......................................................!379! 4.6.2.6.!Feeling!European!versus!feeling!Polish!...................................................................................!383! 4.6.2.7.!The!past!and!present!performance!of!the!Poles!in!different!domains!...................................!386! 4.6.2.8.!Attachment!to!Poland!and!different!aspects!of!Polishness!....................................................!391! 4.6.3.!Europeanness!..................................................................................................................!391! 4.6.3.1.!Being!European:!inborn!or!chosen?!........................................................................................!393! 4.6.3.2.!European!values!......................................................................................................................!396! 4.6.3.3.!Features!all!Europeans!have!in!common:!distinctiveness!from!the!“Others”!........................!397! 4.6.3.4.!Employment!in!the!EU!institutions!as!a!“rite!de!passage”:!becoming!more!European!since! working!for!the!EU?!.............................................................................................................................!400! 4.6.3.5.!Relevance!of!the!proSEuropean!attitude!for!the!job!...............................................................!406! 4.6.3.6.!“Cogs!in!the!wheel”:!making!a!difference!through!work!in!the!EU!institutions?!....................!408! 4.6.3.7.!What!does!the!European!integration!mean?!..........................................................................!411! 4.6.3.8.!Europeanness!of!Poles!............................................................................................................!414! 4.6.4.!Conclusions!on!Polishness!and!Europeanness!.................................................................!418! Chapter.5..General.conclusions:.“Europlanet”?...............................................................425! 5.1..Boundaries.or.“criteria.of.exclusion.and.inclusion”............................................................427! 5.2..Social.integration..............................................................................................................433! 5.3..Cultural.integration...........................................................................................................436! 5.4..Transnationalism...............................................................................................................437! 5.5..Remaining.Polish...............................................................................................................439! 5.6..Towards.European.identity?..............................................................................................443! 5.7..How.much.Polishness.in.Europeanness?...........................................................................445! 5.8..Why.do.I.refer.to.“Europlanet”?........................................................................................446! 5.9..In.a.nutshell.…...................................................................................................................447! 5.10..Questions.for.further.research........................................................................................450! Appendices.....................................................................................................................453! Appendix.A..............................................................................................................................453! Appendix.B..............................................................................................................................456! Appendix.C..............................................................................................................................462! References......................................................................................................................465! Summary........................................................................................................................495! Samenvatting..................................................................................................................497! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 5! Acknowledgements ! First of all, I must thank the person who encouraged me to perform the research on Polish EU officials in Brussels, and who advised me throughout the research and writing process: the principal promoter of this thesis, Em. Prof. Dr. Johan Leman. It is on his advice and thanks to his recommendation that Prof. Dr. Noel B. Salazar has become the co-promoter of this work. The critical remarks and advice of Professor Salazar helped me improve this dissertation substantially. I would also like to thank the members of the examination committee: Prof. Dr. Idesbald Goddeeris, Prof. Dr. Maryon McDonald, Prof. Dr. Ching Lin Pang and Prof. Dr. Christiane Stallaert, whose observations helped to improve this dissertation at the final stage. I am also appreciative to Kristien Hermans who has always assisted me with timely administrative support. Moreover, I owe gratitude to all EU officials who agreed to participate in this research- they are busy people and yet they devoted time and effort to answer my qeustions and tell me the stories that constitute the heart of this thesis . I would also like to thank all persons who have supported me with warmth and friendship during the years I spent writing this dissertation, and especially my friends Pascaline and Deciree. Finally, I need to thank my parents and my husband who showed a lot of understanding for my work and accepted many inconveniences related to my limited availability during the research and writing. 6! !