Friday, July 14, 2017
Turnbull Room (University of Glasgow)
Since 1998, Poland has been touched by the so called low fertility (TFR<1,5) with long periods of the lowest low fertility (TFR<1,3; 2001-2006, 2011-). The low fertility coexists with mass emigration affecting number of the population and its age profile. Durability of the situation is treated by Polish policy-makers as one of the most important obstacles to long-term sustainable development. The demographic problems are especially profound at regional and local levels. The demographic problems are highlighted in majority of strategic documents at national and regional levels starting from Michał Boni’s Strategy Polska 2030 (Poland 2030; 2009). The main aim of the paper is to analyze political responses to the demographic challenges – low fertility and migration – “prescribed” in 3 strategic documents, formulated at different levels: the national Strategy of Responsible Development (2016), the regional Program for Counteracting the Depopulation of the Lodzkie Region (2013, 2015), and the local Demographic Policy of the City of Lodz (2016).
