This paper examines the challenges of implementing contemporary development concepts in old industrial regions, focusing on the Silesian region of Poland. The central question is whether the structural transition declared in Silesian strategic documents represents genuine adaptation or merely symbolic compliance with policy paradigms, that is, window dressing. The analysis highlights a new factor in window dressing, namely a pronounced temporal lag in adopting new development paradigms arising from the legacy of the past compared to Western regions, contributing to heterogeneous structural change across the region. Finally, the study formulates recommendations for regional policy programming to overcome window dressing and support more effective, context-sensitive policy.
The article is based on a systematic review of the scientific literature addressing the phenomenon of corruption in Poland’s local governments after 1989. It covers the leading scientific disciplines dealing with this issue and discusses the sources of research data, the diversity of research problems within the respective disciplines and their major conclusions. The article concludes with a recommendation of more robust interdisciplinarity and conducting research on both bottom-up anticorruption mechanisms and political repercussions of local government corruption.
The article examines the relationship between the exam results of primary school students and the socio-spatial diversity in Warsaw. Over the past two decades of dynamic transformation and significant social changes in the city, the overall scale of socio-spatial segregation has remained relatively stable. However, studies have revealed a persistent polarisation in exam results, with students from certain districts consistently performing below average. Local educational and economic capital as well as access to non-public schools have significantly influenced both the level and changes in these results. The research provides evidence of some – albeit often weak – correlations between the quality of public education, the availability of non-public education, and the socio-spatial structure of the city. These findings form the basis for public-policy recommendations aimed at addressing the existing inequalities and ensuring access to high-quality public education in all districts of Warsaw.