EUROPEAN INTEGRATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF EASTERN EUROPEAN SEMI-PERIPHERIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. CASE STUDY ON POLAND

The article presents various opinions and assessments of Polish society regarding membership in the European Union and its consequences. 2014 marks 10 years since countries from Central-Eastern Europe became a part of the European Union. It is a good opportunity for an afterthought on the role and place of the post-communist countries in today’s world order. The author of the article suggests that perspectives of post-colonial theories or the system-world dependence theory can be a useful tool to help understand the state of affairs in the region. It is also indicated by the research studies which demonstrate that the respondents notice a gap between Poland and the standards of Western European countries in all aspects of their lives. It does not only refer to the social sphere, but also to assess the institutional order or civic self-awareness. In spite of difficulties and crises in such countries as Greece or Portugal within the European Union, Polish society – as shown by the results of the author’s research studies – perceives further European integration to be a solution to its own problems