By and large, the research plan divides the project into the following tasks and actions:
- Formulating a detailed research concept
- Desk research – this specific task will involve a search of library and archive holdings in Poland and in selected European countries.
- Field studies including the following phases and research techniques:
- Computer-assisted web interviews (CAWI) – a quantitative survey of social engagement in the functioning of Polish immigrant organizations, attitudes towards those organizations and the social and demographic characteristics of Poles living in selected European countries. Sample size: N = 5000. Sample size based on the location (in host country) and duration of respondents’ residence. Duration: 2 months.
- In-depth interviews with representatives of institutions responsible for coordinating, developing and implementing Polish diaspora policy regarding their views on the precepts and implementation of the Polish diaspora policy, the status of Polish immigrant organizations in selected European countries and factors affecting the status of Polish immigrant organizations in selected European countries. Number of interviews: N=25. Purposive sampling. Duration: 6 months.
- In-depth interviews with representatives of institutions responsible for coordinating, developing and implementing immigration and integration policies in selected European countries regarding their views on the precepts and implementation of integration policies and their impact on the status of Polish immigrant organizations in selected European countries. Number of interviews: N = 9 x 7 = 63. Purposive sampling. Duration: 6 months.
- In-depth interviews with experts on Polish immigration in selected European countries regarding their views on the status of Polish immigrant organizations in selected European countries and factors influencing the status of Polish immigrant organizations in selected European countries. Number of interviews: N = 9 x 7 = 63. Purposive sampling. Duration: 6 months.
- Case studies concerning Polish immigrant organizations in selected European countries aimed at investigating the specific activities of selected organizations with a focus on their condition and factors which affect it. The case studies will include in-depth interviews with leaders of selected organizations and representatives of their institutional and social environment; the project entails gathering documentation on the work of such institutions in the form of photographs, press clippings, programs, publications, etc. Number of case studies: N = 9 x 5 = 45. Purposive sampling seeking to ensure maximum differentiation. Duration: 12 months.
- Institutional survey of Polish immigrant organizations in selected European countries designed to assess the status of such institutions. To secure maximum response rates, the survey will be posted on the Internet and distributed by regular mail. Full survey, number of organizations surveyed: N=930. Duration: 7 months.
- Drafting and analyzing the research material
- Verifying the research findings and hypotheses
- Drawing up the final research report