Dynamics of Uncertainty, Unrest and Fragility in Europe: In the Shadow of the Ukraine and Migration Crises(Routledge Advances in Sociology)

This book examines some of the most pressing issues affecting contemporary societies in Europe in the 2020s, namely uncertainty, unrest and the fragility of individuals and groups. Monika Banaś, Vesa Puuronen and their contributors analyse a selection of challenges affecting the present and near future of Europe and European societies. They reflect on processes and events that have a pivotal impact on individual and collective life, for example, how the Russian invasion of Ukraine has affected reformulation or revision of such concepts as security, uncertainty, independence, freedom, democracy and democratic values as well as nation and nationalism. The volume discusses phenomena such as the migration and integration of refugees, media narratives on the Russian–Ukrainian war, political campaign rhetoric concerning the war, institutional engagement in fostering civil and inclusive societies, strategies of young people to cope with uncertainty in times of socio-economic challenges. The book offers a valuable reference for scholars and students of European societies studying a broad scope of courses in sociology, political culture, intercultural communication, intercultural and international relations, along with political science. It will also be of interest to experts and practitioners of the NGO sector active in supporting vulnerable individuals, communities and societies.

Table of Contents:
Introductory Chapter: Various facets of uncertainty, unrest and fragility 1. Far away so close: Young Italians and the consumption of war images in social networks 2. The Enhancement of Foreign Qualifications: Evidence from a Case Study 3. Beyond vulnerabilities: University as new opportunities for refugees 4. Dynamics of Uncertainty in the Context of War in Ukraine: Discourse Analysis of the Slovak Newspaper SME 5. Narrating Migration in Times of “Crisis”: Perspectives from Poland 6. Polarizing Effect of Uncertainty by Projecting (Il)Liberalism as an Existential Threat: A Comparison of the Crises of the 2010s and 2020s in the EU and the Example of Central and Eastern Europe 7. Securitisation of Health: The Case of the European Health Union 8. Uncertainty rhetoric, symbolism and political campaigns in Polish parliamentary elections of 2023 9. Communication Narratives of President Zelenskiy Shaping a New Image of Ukraine in the World 10. One Border, But Two Polands? Examining Polish Media Discourse on the Humanitarian Crisis at the Polish-Belarusian Border: A Qualitative Analysis 11. Discourses on Asylum Seekers and Immigration in Finland since the 1990s 12. Perception of the Polish Army and Polish Defense Policy in the Spanish and German Press: A Text Network and Text Actional Analysis 13. Is This Our War? Poles and Their Sense of Uncertainty Towards the Armed Conflict in Ukraine 14. Civil Society Organizations in Supporting Young Migrants’ Inclusion in Uncertain Times in Italy

About the Author :
Monika Banaś is Professor at the Faculty of International and Political Studies at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. Her research focuses on culture, politics and their mutual dependencies. She has published on migration and integration policies, political culture and political symbolism. Her works include inter alia Protest in Late Modern Societies: Dynamics, Forms, Futures (co-editor R. Saduov) (Routledge, 2023), ‘Integration Policy as a Challenge for European Cohesion’ in Politicke Vedy (2022), ‘Swedish Migrant Integration Policy after 2015: A Revised Approach in the Shadow of the Migration Crisis’ in Fuori Luogo (2021) and ‘The Cultural Potential of Femipolitics in Ireland at the Turn of the 20th and 21st Centuries’ (in Polish) in Kobiety w polityce (2020). She is the Chief Editor of the academic journal Intercultural Relations. Vesa Puuronen is Professor of Sociology in the Faculty of Education and Psychology at University Oulu, Finland. His research focuses on racism, history of education, youth, right-wing populism and governance. He has published on racism, local politics, youth cultures, political participation and populism. His works include ‘Municipal Politics in Sami Homeland in Finland’ (in The Sami World, Routledge, 2022), Youth Political Participation and Right Wing Populism (edited with Kari Saari 2017), Stigmatized by Society (with Marjo Laitala, 2016), Racist Finland (2011) and Introduction to Youth Research (2007). He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Finnish Journal of Cultural Studies (Kulttuurintutkimus).