Images of Russia: a comparative qualitative study in Poland and Germany

Images of Russia: a comparative qualitative study in Poland and Germany

Das Image von Russland: eine vergleichende qualitative Studie in Polen und Deutschland

Obraz Rosji: porównawcze studium jakościowe w Polsce i w Niemczech

Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Halemba (Polska Akademia Nauk)
Prof. Dr. Joachim Otto Habeck (Universität Hamburg)

01.01.2026-30.06.2027

Supported by the Polish-German Science Foundation

This project lays the groundwork for analysing attitudes in Poland and Germany towards Russia as a state, cultural sphere, and historical and political actor.

Previous research has revealed significant discrepancies in the ways that people in the two countries perceive Russia. In Germany, survey data reveal an ambivalent attitude towards Russia, with notable differences between the former East and West. By contrast, among the Polish population, the perception of Russia as an 'unfriendly' state remains stable at around 80 per cent. In addition to quantitative surveys, studies of perceptions of Russia in literature, news, and social media also provide insights. In both Poland and Germany, a mixture of fear and fascination towards Russia emerges, albeit in very different ways. For Polish society, Russia plays a key role related to perceptions of victimhood, whereas for Germans, awareness of intertwined historical, political and economic interests with Russia come to the fore.

Although these trends have been identified, few studies have examined the modes of argumentation, narratives, and tropes surrounding Russia in everyday social discourse, particularly since 2022. This may be because social science research and political discourse previously assumed that Russia would adapt to the dominant political and economic system in the West. However, this assumption no longer holds true. Russia is now perceived as an independent and powerful actor. But what exactly are the connotations of Russia’s role? To what extent are they positive, negative, or ambivalent?

We plan to interview people from various social strata and age groups in Germany and Poland. Our study will also shed light on how the conflict in Ukraine is perceived within Polish and German society. This will allow us to examine broader political attitudes in the two EU member states, and to fathom in which ways they diverge from each other.