Polish studies outside Europe: history and perspectives of Polish studies in selected Latin American and East Asian countries

Polish studies in Latin America and East Asia – despite geographical and cultural distance – face similar challenges, such as adapting Polish language curricula to local conditions, the specific nature of individual academic institutions, limited teaching staff, a shortage of local educational materials, and the policies of specific universities. Comparing contemporary Polish studies trends in the countries of Latin America and East Asia where Polish studies are most established, such as Brazil, Argentina, Japan, South Korea, and China, will allow us to grasp the diversity of models for these studies across continents and thus enrich the discussion on the internationalization of Polish studies.

The situation of Polish studies in Latin America appears challenging, primarily because this region, historically colonized by Spain and Portugal, and influenced by the United States, focused on creating its own cultures. It is worth noting, however, that the so-called Latin American boom – which occurred in the second half of the 19th century – was a significant step in the development of Polish studies. The 1920s brought global acclaim to writers such as Gabriel García Márquez, Julio Cortázar, and Mario Vargas Llosa, and contributed to a growing interest in cultural and academic exchange between Latin America and Europe. In this context, Poland, through literature, translations, and various cultural initiatives, also began to appear in the intellectual circulation of the region, which indirectly fostered the development of academic contacts and interest in Polish studies. Unfortunately, many universities in this area do not offer Polish studies. The situation is better in places with stronger Polish communities, formed as a result of the immigration of Polish citizens to another continent.

Justyna Łapaj's article on the Polish diaspora in Latin American countries shows that the largest Polish diaspora communities exist in Brazil and Argentina, with smaller clusters in Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico 1. The author notes that the Polish diaspora in Latin American countries originates primarily from the wave of agricultural emigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as from soldiers who fought on the Allied side during World War II and their relatives. Over time, Poles assimilated with the local population and other immigrant communities. The largest Polish diaspora lives in Brazil and is considered the third largest group of Polish emigrants in the world (after the USA and Germany) 2. In 1990, the largest Polish diaspora organization was established there – the Central Representation of the Brazilian-Polish Community, known as BRASPOL, whose goal is to maintain Polish traditions among emigrants from Poland. 

In 2022, on the initiative of Fabricio Wichrowski and with the support of BRASPOL, the Polish Institute and the "Wspólnota Polska" Association, Polish was recognized as one of the official languages ​​in the Brazilian municipality of Áurea 3. Furthermore, there are currently three large Polish libraries in Brazil: the Polonicum of the Congregation of Missionary Priests, the Polish Diaspora Library of the Society of Christ in Curitiba and the Polonia Society Library in Porto Allegro 4. Polish language teaching takes place at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) and the University of Brasilia (UnB). After World War II, particularly after the election of Pope John Paul II and the political transformation of 1989, Polish culture began to develop dynamically in Brazil, with Polish associations and Polish diaspora congresses continuing to emerge. Unfortunately, most participants in these initiatives now identify more with their Brazilian identity, do not speak Polish, and rarely visit the country of their ancestors 5. The most important problems facing the Polish community in Brazil include: the gradual decline of Polish language skills, little interest in the activities of the Polish diaspora among young people, and a decreasing commitment to promoting Poland, its language, and its culture in general. Existing models of Polish studies in this region, such as Polish studies majors, language courses, and other programs, unfortunately vary in their level of funding and institutional support. Factors favoring the functioning of Polish studies in this region and maintaining the memory of Polish roots should be seen in even stronger support from foreign universities, maintaining a long-term Brazilian-Polish partnership, strengthening the permanent staff in various institutions, including universities, and developing language teaching through modern technologies and the e-learning model.

The Polish diaspora in Argentina faces similar challenges. Most of the local Polish community initiatives are part of the Association of Poles in Argentina (ZPA), whose mission is to continue the over 100-year tradition of the Polish diaspora, including the Polish Combatants' Association. The Polish House in Buenos Aires, the headquarters of the Association of Poles in Argentina, continues its historic role as a center of Polishness – it houses the book collection of the I. Domeyko Polish Library (the largest Polish library in Latin America) and the editorial office of the weekly "Głos Polski." Various Polish language courses 6, dance and singing workshops, and Polish national and religious holidays are held here.

In Buenos Aires, there is also a Polish Club, a Polish-Argentine Association, and a Polish Alumni Association 7. Political and economic events had the greatest impact on the arrival of a wave of Polish immigrants in Argentina: from participants in the January Uprising, who founded the Polish Society in 1890, through workers fleeing after the 1905 Revolution, to economic migrants from the 1920s and 1930s and soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces after World War II. The Polish community in Argentina is cared for by the Polish Catholic Mission in Martin Coronado 8. The Polish community in Argentina today numbers approximately 170,000 people of Polish descent, with younger generations of Poles increasingly speaking Polish. As can be read on the website of the Institute for the Development of the Polish Language (gov.pl): "ORPEG data shows that there are 10 Polish schools operating in Argentina 9. Despite the commitment (...), staffing needs remain unmet. Another problem is the high cost of providing textbooks and teaching materials, hampered by customs duties and customs fees." 10. As in Brazil, the biggest problems facing the Polish diaspora in Argentina are the shortage of qualified teachers, the shortage of teaching materials 11 and the declining interest in activities on behalf of the Polish diaspora. Therefore, Polish studies abroad in Latin America should balance their cultural mission with real institutional capabilities; they cannot function solely ideologically; they require material support. It is not only the need for participation on the part of Poland, but also the necessity to use hybrid technologies and methods that can help overcome geographical barriers and staff limitations in the Latin American region. We should strive to create networks of international Polish studies that exchange experiences, support each other and conduct joint projects (grants, conferences, etc.). 

The development of Polish studies in East Asia dates back to the second half of the 20th century and is closely linked to the growing interest in Central Europe and the culture of Slavic countries among Asian academic centers. Initially, Polish language instruction operated within the framework of Slavic studies, but only gradually (especially after World War II) did independent departments and language courses begin to emerge. This development was supported by both diplomatic cooperation and academic exchange between Poland and Asian countries. Initiatives undertaken in Japan, South Korea, and China were particularly significant, where Polish studies began to take on an increasingly autonomous character, thus becoming a component of broader research on European culture. It is noticeable that the situation of Polish studies in East Asia is relatively good, better than in Latin America, due to the numerous academic centers located in the aforementioned countries (i.e., Japan, South Korea, and China). The only Polish studies department in Japan is located at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, which has only about 70 students 12. In an interview for the Science in Poland portal, Professor Kōji Morita, head of the Polish studies department at Tokyo University of International Studies, speaks of the Japanese people's apparent fascination with Chopin and Polish Romanticism. In his opinion, "the Japanese, like Poles, are romantics." 13. Professor Morita 14 is the author of a textbook for learning Polish in Japan, designed for beginners (level A1). This book—published especially for the Chopin Competition to capitalize on the growing interest in Poland—is enjoying growing popularity. According to Morita, the Japanese struggle most with grammar, including verb aspects (perfective/imperfective) and the grammatical category of tense. Pronunciation is easier, as Polish phonetic notation is clearer than, for example, English. However, the Polish language is gaining more and more interest among the Japanese, and Morita's activities and the publication of the textbook also constitute an important step in the institutionalization of Polish teaching in this region.

As in Japan, learning Polish is also enjoying considerable interest in South Korea, largely stemming from similar motivations. Much has been made recently about South Korean Chopin Competition participants, brothers Hyo and Hyuk Lee, who learned Polish out of their love for Chopin and even decided to settle in Poland 15. Other reasons for Koreans learning Polish include career prospects – work in Korean companies investing in Poland (e.g., LG, SK Chemicals), and careers in diplomacy and public administration. Of course, there are also many Polish philology students who chose this field by accident, and their interest in Poland only began to develop from that point on. Polish studies in South Korea are primarily offered at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) in Seoul, a prestigious center for language studies in Asia, which is also one of the most important centers for Polish language and culture in all of East Asia. Until recently, this department of Polish philology, established in 1987, was the only one in South Korea (currently, it is still taught, for example, at Sungkyunkwan University). In his article "The Specificity of Teaching Polish in the Far East: Polish Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul," Tomasz Lisowski points out that the bachelor's program there lasts four years, with the option of continuing the program with a two-year master's degree and a four-year doctoral degree 16. The program of these studies consists of modules on: Polish language (practical grammar, vocabulary, translation, etc.), Polish culture and art (including literature, music, painting), and the history of Poland and its contemporary socio-economic problems. Students of Polish studies in Korea – as in other countries of East Asia and Latin America – struggle with linguistic difficulties resulting from differences between the Korean and Polish languages, including: in grammar (Korean does not have prepositions, grammatical gender, inversion in interrogative sentences, category of person in conjugation, etc. 17). Cultural differences also pose a challenge, resulting from different communication norms and a hierarchical model of relations with the lecturer, which hinders freedom of conversation (students' reserve in conversation with the lecturer, other codes of non-verbal communication, e.g., bowing instead of shaking hands). The effectiveness of language learning should therefore be seen not only in linguistic differences, but also in cultural ones; it is necessary to understand the mentality of both parties, and build relationships based on empathy and openness to different ways of thinking and communicating.

China is undoubtedly one of the most dynamically developing regions of Polish studies in the Far East in recent years. The history of Polish-Chinese relations dates back to the Middle Ages, while the beginnings of Polish studies in China date back to the second half of the last century. As we read on the website of the Polish Institute – Cultural Affairs Department of the Polish Embassy in Beijing: "Since 1950, a year after the founding of the People's Republic of China and the establishment of diplomatic relations between Poland and the People's Republic of China, the Chinese government began sending scholarship holders to Poland to pursue studies in various fields in our country."  18. There are approximately 20 Polish language centers in China (Polish studies, language courses). In his article "Factors of Polish Language Development in China," Andrzej Ruszer analyzes the non-linguistic determinants of Polish language development in China (external factors – Polish, promotional – and internal factors resulting from China's activities and needs that stimulate the development of the Polish language) not directly related to the language's structure itself. Surprisingly, he notes that the strongest development factors come from China – from China's educational policy and its strategy for developing less popular languages.  19. He considers frequent university initiatives and arbitrary actions, resulting in the opening of new Polish studies and language courses, to be internal development factors. Economic interests also play a significant role, such as the strengthening of trade and investment relations between Poland and China, which gives the Polish language a new dimension in the business context. Some provinces and universities in China consider Polish studies a prestige; the opening of Polish studies centers is seen as an investment in the development of the humanities and international cooperation. Polish studies operate at universities such as Peking University (PUJO – Beijing Foreign Languages ​​University), in Guangzhou, in Guangdong Province, and many others 20. This constitutes a stable core of Polish studies activity in China. Poland's support for Chinese initiatives also plays a key role. Public diplomacy plays an important role, as does cooperation with the aforementioned universities through the Adam Mickiewicz Institute and the Polish Institute in Beijing, and cultural institutions that promote literature, translation, and scholarly exchanges, and run scholarship programs. Some Chinese Polish studies also enter into agreements with Polish universities – after two years of studying in China, students can continue their studies in Poland. Ruszer analyzes the "power of language" as a multidimensional phenomenon, encompassing prestige, utility, institutional support, the number of centers, and employment opportunities. This highlights the challenges facing cooperation between Polish and Chinese Polish studies, such as the recently emerging financial constraints on scholarships and problems with the real effectiveness of promotional activities – the development of centers, which often does not result directly from Polish promotional activities, may raise questions about the role and structure of Polish language policy abroad 21.However, assessing the actual effects will take time.

The situation of Polish studies in Latin America and Asia reflects the challenges and opportunities facing Polish language and culture studies outside Europe. In Latin America, the development of Polish studies relies largely on the involvement of the Polish diaspora, collaboration with Polish institutions, and the opportunities offered by distance learning. Unfortunately, declining interest in Polish among younger generations and limited financial resources pose significant barriers; opportunities lie particularly in academic and cultural initiatives that integrate Polish studies into local intercultural dialogue. In Asia, the situation appears much more dynamic – growing interest in European culture and intercultural studies creates favorable conditions for the development of Polish studies. Language programs and research collaboration with Poland are becoming increasingly important, particularly in countries with strong academic bases, such as Japan, South Korea, and China. The main challenges stem from cultural and linguistic differences, unstable funding sources, and limited institutional support. In both regions, modern digital technologies will play a key role in the future, fostering the development of distance learning and intensifying international cooperation. To sustain and thrive, Polish studies must adopt an interdisciplinary approach, combining language learning with reflection on culture, history, and international relations. This will enable it to maintain its position as an active participant in global academic and cultural discourse.