The Polkast

In this episode, we introduce the complexities of the Polish media landscape, covering public, corporate and independent media. We talk about the changes that Law and Justice Party implemented since coming to power and debates about media ownership - such as the infamous Lex TVN.

Our guest Marta Tycner is an editor of Polityka Insight, responsible for daily analyses and briefings of the major news stories across Polish media. Marta is also an activist who has also been active on the Polish left for over 10 years.

In the autumn of 2020, Poland saw its biggest wave of protest since the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Women and their allies in cities and towns tooks to the streets to resist the further restriction of abortion law.

What is the legacy of that movement? What led to it, and what has been happening since? And what are the prospects for abortion being finally legalised in Poland?

In this episode, we also situate the Polish struggle for reproductive rights in a global context - discussing the end of Roe v Wade, but also women’s victories around the world.

As our guest, we are delighted to introduce Martyna Jałoszyńska, a pro-choice organiser based in Warsaw, member of Razem party and the European Democracy Youth Network.

Further reading:

Beyond Roe: Strategic Lessons in the Fight for Abortion Rights, by Ewa and Dan Davison

https://newpol.org/issue_post/beyond-roe/

Poland’s Pro-Choice Protests Are Radicalising a Generation - Ana’s article from 2020

https://novaramedia.com/2020/10/30/polands-pro-choice-protests-are-radicalising-a-generation/

Martyna’s Instagram profile (in Polish) https://www.instagram.com/martynajaloszynska/

In this episode, we talk with the founders of an organisation called Polish Migrants Organise for Change (POMOC): Magda Fabiańczyk and  Marzena Zukowska. Our guests share how their own diverse experiences of migration shaped their worldview and work, speak about the challenges they faced as organisers, and the most pressing issues facing migrants in the context of Brexit and the Tory "hostile environment" agenda.

The Polkast is back, with an episode about the workers' movement in Poland.

We had the pleasure to speak to Katarzyna Duda, author and researcher working for the All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ), and Maciej Grodzicki, economist and activist with the union Inicjatywa Pracownicza (Workers' Initiative).

What is the trade union landscape in Poland? What have been the biggest victories - and defeats - of recent years? Is the PiS government pro-worker? What's the legacy of Solidarność? And how have trade unions responded to Ukrainian refugees joining the workforce?

Tune in to hear us tackle these questions, and many more.

We had the pleasure to chat to Robert AKA Polka Dot - a Polish drag queen living in London, and co-founder of the Easten European performance & party collective Slav4U. We spoke about growing up queer in 90s and 00s Poland, Polish queer culture and nightlife, and the ongoing struggle for LGBT+ rights. Listen to find out about Polish gay anthems, queering disco polo and why Tinky Winky from Teletubbies is a gay icon.

Songs mentioned in the show:

* Bajm - Biała Armia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQAGMaoCxyw (the one about waving your flag)

* Edyta Górniak - To nie ja (byłam Ewą): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL5rmmpiHp8 (Eurovision hit)

* Doda (Virgin) - Szansa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBwPhW2sNdM (the one about getting a new chance)

* Czadoman - Ruda tańczy jak szalona https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgw1yEcWpTU (disco polo banger)

* Viki Gabor & Kayah - Ramię w ramię: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2DtbkBr65A (feminist anthem)

* Kora (Manaam) - Krakowski spleen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaVVaS2n6MY (late music legend & all-time great queer ally)

Last summer the humanitarian crisis on the Poland-Belarus border made international news. The media cycle has since moved on, but the crisis is far from over. In this episode, Ana speaks to journalist Paulina Olszanka about the human beings behind the headlines and the broader context in which the story has unfolded.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sent waves of fear across Europe - even more so across the East of the continent. In this episode, we speak to Maciej Baron about Poland’s response to the conflict, what the Polish left would like our Western comrades to understand, and what demands we should be organising around. Maciej Baron is a Pole who lives in the UK. He is a member of the Razem party and runs a page in Polish on imperialism. He is also a founder of the Good Praxis - a digital studio based in London and one of 7000 registered cooperative businesses in the UK.

This episode was recorded on 6 March 2022 and is hosted and produced by Ana Oppenheim and Ewa Pospieszynska.

A letter to the Western Left from Kyiv

Enough with the struggle of superpowers. Voices from Central and Eastern Europe

The origins of campism

The Third Camp 

On NATO

On the lesser-evil

Data on internally displaced Ukrainians

Data on the number of refugees fleeing from Ukraine

Ukraine Solidarity Campaign

Sotsyalnyi Rukh

Fundacja Ocalenie

Polish Humanitarian Action

The Kyiv Independent