Original scientific paper
Polish Cities Face the EU – Europeanization of Post-Socialist Cities as a Type of Outward Political Rescaling
Marta Lackowska
; epartment of Local Deve - lopment and Policy, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw, Poland
Abstract
Access of Central and East European states to the European Union has opened a new promising field of empirical research for students of European integration. In parallel, a growing body of literature deals with presumably increased space for urban political manoeuvre, linked to the phenomena of de- and renationalisation. Within this approach, the impact of Europeanization on urban politics can be seen as a special type of outward political rescaling. Adopting this perspective, the article analyses the strategies developed by the post-socialist cities faced with the EU political multilevel system, treating them as a part of wider urban strategy of political internationalisation. Three types of rescaling activities are considered: networking, bilateral and individual. The empirical evidence is based on the study of the 12 largest Polish cities, members of Eurocities and domestic
lobbying organisations. The character of urban strategies is discussed with reference to the Klijn and Koppenjan’s (2000) typology of possible orientation of public authorities faced with global pressures. The main question of the study is what the Europeanization of the largest Polish cities looks like. Are they rather reactive or creative and strategic? Do they undertake any bottom-up actions? The study reveals that the assumed reactive and non-strategic participation of
Polish cities in Europeanization is true only to a certain extent. Strategic thinking is visible in the selection of undertaken activities. Creative approach shines through endeavours to modify networks and co-shape bilateral relations in which cities participate. There is a group of biggest cities that contradicts the thesis on a passive attitude of Polish cities towards outward rescaling; despite their short experience in this field, they act as very active and decisive actors on the international scene. The study has also proved that a blur of the distinction between domestic and European scales, presumed in the theories of the EU system, is taking place in Polish reality.
Keywords
rescaling; internationalization; Europeanization; post-socialist cities; Poland
Hrčak ID:
129600
URI
Publication date:
4.3.2014.
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