Christopher Lash
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chrislashhist.bsky.social
Christopher Lash
@chrislashhist.bsky.social
Historian of Poland and CEE in the world based in Warsaw, Poland. Might be the odd political skeet here and there. Private views
Pinned
Publication time! My article about Polish fishing co-operation in Senegal, 1960-1985 is now out! (first 50 copies free download). www.tandfonline.com/eprint/8BBEK...
‘Fishing for Profit?’ Socialist Bloc Inroads in Decolonised Spaces: The Case of Polish Fishing Co-Operation in Senegal, 1960–85
This article examines Socialist Poland’s fishing co-operation with Senegal between 1960 and 1985. Poland had the second largest Eastern Bloc fishing fleet with a worldwide reach. From the early 197...
www.tandfonline.com
Reposted by Christopher Lash
Funny how academia works: nothing for ages, then boom, 2 articles in a week. The 2nd began with @rekakrizmanics.bsky.social email. Not my usual period but those intriguing AAN files kept calling… Of course, Jewish threads are in: I wouldn’t be me otherwise 😉. doi.org/10.1177/0888...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
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doi.org
August 15, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Christopher Lash
Our new book with @benstanley.eu on illiberalism in Poland has arrived with @stanfordpress.bsky.social. We look at the successes and failures of the Law and Justice (PiS) party as a leading example of the evolving global challenges to liberal democracy. www.sup.org/books/politi...
Good Change | Stanford University Press
Few countries serve as a more useful case study for understanding the global tension between liberal and illiberal conceptions of democracy than Poland. Under the populist Law and Justice (PiS) –led g...
www.sup.org
September 8, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by Christopher Lash
My book is available for pre-order from
@nupress.bsky.social. 25% discount with code NUP2025 at nupress.northwestern.edu/978081014884... Only a few more weeks until it comes out!
Nonaligned Imagination - Northwestern University Press
Recovering the literary and intellectual history of anticolonial collaborations   Preoccupied with developing a multiethnic, postcolonial culture and seekin...
nupress.northwestern.edu
August 29, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Good piece but not enough about the main tensions that have led many Poles to become far more anti-Ukrainian since the early months of the war
August 27, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Reposted by Christopher Lash
Tbf I was quite surprised that the anti-Ukrainian part of Polish political discourse was so successfully stifled in the aftermath of the invasion. Put it this way, Polish society is deeply sceptical towards Ukraine for historical reasons (and prejudice has always lurked beneath the surface)
Polish President has vetoed a bill to extend financial and medical aid for unemployed Ukrainian citizens, Wydarzenia reports.

Nawrocki stressed that social support should go to those working in Poland, with Poles remaining the priority in their own country.
August 26, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Tbf I was quite surprised that the anti-Ukrainian part of Polish political discourse was so successfully stifled in the aftermath of the invasion. Put it this way, Polish society is deeply sceptical towards Ukraine for historical reasons (and prejudice has always lurked beneath the surface)
Polish President has vetoed a bill to extend financial and medical aid for unemployed Ukrainian citizens, Wydarzenia reports.

Nawrocki stressed that social support should go to those working in Poland, with Poles remaining the priority in their own country.
August 26, 2025 at 6:21 PM
To all proof readers. Please do not be overly thorough and intrusive when looking through proofs. My current article the proof reader has gone a bit ballistic.
August 1, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Finding Poland's boasting of the fact they recognized Palestine a bit of a self own as it happened before the fall of communism when Eastern European countries all supported the Arab side anyway
July 31, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Russia's over there (thus the obligatory black clouds 😉). At a little village called Piaski (Nowa Karczma) at the Polish Baltic Sea coast very close to the border
July 23, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Possible highlight of my stay at the Polish coast; an 8 year girl with a t-shirt with the words 'I love saying dumb sh*t' on it. Would be interested to find out the conversation that preceded the purchase
July 18, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Reposted by Christopher Lash
Netanyahu has spent the better part of two decades trying to strong arm the United States into an unprovoked war against Iran and finally found a president stupid enough to do it for him. Unbelievable.
June 22, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Reposted by Christopher Lash
June 23, 2025 at 6:56 AM
June 23, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Trump's decision to attack Iran two days after saying he might do so in two weeks and now talking about regime change makes me feel that we're in some completely twisted, insanely sped up version of 2003
June 23, 2025 at 6:42 AM
People who've done academic research on the Iraq war watching what's going on
a group of men in tuxedos are sitting at a desk with their hands on their faces .
ALT: a group of men in tuxedos are sitting at a desk with their hands on their faces .
media.tenor.com
June 22, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Definitely something to read!
Finally, highlighting the uniqueness of the Czech position, Joanna Dyduch unpacks the Polish reaction to the Israeli war on Gaza and mounting breaches of IHL and notes the more critical tone of both Polish public opinion and foreign policy. 7/7

cjir.iir.cz/index.php/cj...
Poland’s Attitudes and Policy Towards Israel and Palestine after October 7th: Continuity and Change | Czech Journal of International Relations
cjir.iir.cz
June 6, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Reposted by Christopher Lash
I have often been asked about the reasons for the Czech Republic’s uncritical support of Israeli actions.

I am happy that I can now refer to the forum published by the Czech Journal of International Relations that features a range of experts on different aspects of the Czech policy on Israel 🧵 1/7
June 6, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Btw all these people saying Sikorski would have beaten Nawrocki. I'm sorry but wtf? Sikorski has the biggest negative electorate of anyone apart from Tusk in PO. Like the left liberals would have turned out to vote for him. Laughable
June 3, 2025 at 10:36 AM
My only comment for foreign observers commenting on the Polish Presidential election: the President doesn't matter all that much. It does make the 2027 parliamentary elections super important though
June 2, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Whoa, this is a strong poll for Trzaskowski. Didn't expect it. The one thing I can expect is a strong mobilisation of the left-liberal voting base for the next round. But still I don't expect this easy a win for Trzaskowski
Poland, OGB poll:

Presidential run-off election

Trzaskowski (PO-EPP): 55% (+2)
Nawrocki (PiS-ECR): 45% (-2)

+/- vs. 7-10 May 2025

Fieldwork: 18 May 2025
Sample size: 92,108

➤ europeelects.eu/poland
May 20, 2025 at 8:56 AM
💯%
Exactly! He's neoliberal when it comes to economy and state. He also is and looks young despite being a self made millionaire. He made his campaign on electric scooter. His young voters imagine they will be rich like him so promise of no taxes sounds good for them.
May 19, 2025 at 3:47 PM
You see there are options in Poland but in the second round there isn't, which could go two ways a) turnout drops massively, b) turnout goes up because they absolutely hate the other option
Sounds like the US
May 19, 2025 at 1:32 PM
With Braun I agree, not so sure with Mentzen, I think a lot of young people protest voting for him and many members of that group may not turn up in the second round or might swing Trzaskowski as he's more free market than Nawrocki
Poland, I have a lot of thoughts

Over 20% of Poles choosing radical right candidates is both concerning & not entirely unexpected.
#WyboryPrezydenckie
May 19, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Reposted by Christopher Lash
Some analysis of the first round of the Polish Presidential elections. Lots to chew over. First Trzaskowski's result is very disappointing and you'd have to say that Nawrocki has the momentum going into the second round in 2 weeks /1
May 18, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Not close at all then
Poland, Opinia24 poll:

Presidential run-off election

Trzaskowski (PO-EPP): 51% (-1)
Nawrocki (PiS-ECR): 49% (+1)

+/- vs. 14-15 May 2025

Fieldwork: 18 May 2025

➤ europeelects.eu/poland
May 19, 2025 at 9:53 AM