Acceptance for violent policy toward asylum seekers in Poland

Mikołaj Winiewski

University of Warsaw

Since the start of war in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and migration crisis in Europe in 2015 there is visible disparity between attitudes toward refugees from different regions in public debate. This is also very apparent in recent crisis on Polish-Belorussian border and in situation related to war in Ukraine. Polish society is very open and willing to help Ukrainian refugees, while is in large indifferent or even supportive toward harsh and violent policy toward refugees and migrants from the Middle East. In three representative studies 2016, 2017 and 2021 we explored the psychological and ideological mechanisms underlying support for different violent policies toward foreigners looking for asylum in Poland.