The European mobility processes raise the issue of the integration strategies of new European migrants in their host societies. Taking stock of 154 in-depth interviews with migrants in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, we examine the social ties which they mobilise in order to adapt in a different social environment. The division between ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ ties established in the literature is particularly useful to assess migrants’ experiences in appropriation and transformation of social capital and the variety of their pathways in the labour market. Then we critically study the relative weight of social ties and skill levels in their choice of integration strategies. At the end, four types of strategies corresponding to the types of migrants’ interactions with the home and host contexts are outlined.

This article focuses on the recruiting practices of public and private agencies dealing with international labour mediation in Bulgaria and Romania. Based on interpretative analysis of 20 in-depth interviews with professionals working in migrant recruiting agencies in the two countries, we aim to understand their views on the advantages and disadvantages of their services in comparison with other mobility channels: such as informal networks, direct contacts with employers, or unofficial Internet sites. The article examines the ways in which international labour mediation practitioners construct their target group—migrants—in terms of motivation, human capital, and/or challenges of their adaptation to the new context. We then look at intermediaries’ perceptions of employers’ needs and expectations. We finish with uncovering recruiters’ underlying assessment of the national and European mobility policies and the outcomes they see for individual migrants, employers and the countries of departure and destination.

The 2019 European Parliament elections were marked by a specific ‘threat to Europe’ discourse associated with concerns about possible populist radical right’s (PRR) breakthrough. The pro-European narrative suggested authoritarianism, non-democratic behaviour, anti-Europeanism, nostalgia for the past, and xenophobia as themes attributive of the PRR challenge. This article examines the PRR parties’ counter-narrative on these themes in the way it is embedded in their strategic communication during the election campaign. Three prominent examples are taken into consideration: France’s Rassemblement national, Italy’s Lega and Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland. By analysing discursively their election manifestos and social media messages the article outlines their claim for appropriation of the ‘threat to Europe’ discourse and European legitimacy of their Euroscepticism. Thus, the article seeks to contribute to the discussion on the ideological consolidation of the PRR.

Workforce mobility in the European Union (EU) has faced enormous challenges regarding the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020. Member-states reacted by imposing border closures and eliciting travel restrictions and sanitary measures, some of which continued well into 2022, with far-reaching consequences in all areas of mobility experience. In a time of constant changes in the regulations of the internal market, the work of labour market intermediaries deserves special attention. Recent studies have shown that, being a relatively new EU member-state, Bulgaria managed to develop an important migration industry comprising a complex network of public and private actors. We focus on an interpretative analysis of ten in-depth interviews conducted in 2017 with practitioners working in such agencies, and ten follow-up interviews five years later. The comparative analysis of these intermediaries' reflections on the mobility policies and practices before and during the pandemic allows us to examine the processes of structural and functional adaptation in the industry in multiple dimensions: assessment of changes in mobility practices, perceptions of employers' and migrants' needs and expectations, and the challenges facing their agencies vis-à-vis the role of other actors in the field. The conclusion underlines trends and transformations which are of interest for the developing recruitment sectors in other Central and East European countries, as well as for the dynamics of the East-West labour mobility throughout the entire EU.

This article analyzes the determinants of public support for environmental policies in Bulgaria—a post-socialist context marked by low salience of ecological issues, socio-economic pressures, and fragile institutional trust. Based on descriptive statistical analysis of a nationally representative face-to-face survey conducted in 2023 (N = 1002), it explores environmental awareness, motivations, and readiness for pro-environmental behavior (PEB). The findings reveal a distinctive pattern—a weak engagement paradox—where low awareness nonetheless coexists with high declared willingness to act. This readiness is mainly shaped by financial motives, local contexts, and generational differences, while trust remains concentrated in scientific expertise rather than political institutions. The study argues that declarative support, even when influenced by social desirability, can serve as a policy resource. Low-cost behavioral interventions, such as nudging, could leverage this latent willingness by making sustainable choices more visible and socially rewarding, gradually strengthening trust and engagement.

The development of Holocaust education is one of the increasingly important research fields within so-called ‘Holocaust remembrance policies.’ Over the past three decades, this topic has acquired a...