István Kósa (Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania), Rafał Smoczyński (IFiS PAN), Daniel Addy (GSSR)
Tuesday–Wednesday, April 7–8, 2026
- Day 1: Tuesday, April 7, 13:00–15:00
- Day 2: Wednesday, April 8, 13:00–16:00
Staszic Palace, Nowy Świat 72, 00-330 Warsaw, Poland, Room 232.
or online via ZOOM
April 7 https://zoom.us/j/95742175209?pwd=kMIIAuozMr0MiHwibcaLgAU05mw3I8.1
April 8 https://zoom.us/j/94648568392?pwd=mZ0RYjgjeDKjGJAbKu9Hqe6g2Tlsb7.1
Abstract
This two-day seminar explores how social sentiment toward immigrants can be analyzed using digital trace data. It is designed for PhD students working in migration studies and the sociology of social control, and focuses on operationalizing anti-migrant attitudes and moral panics in the digital environment.
In contemporary labor markets, employment insecurities and migrant presence may trigger public anxiety and exclusionary reactions. These dynamics increasingly manifest across social media and digital news platforms, making their systematic analysis essential for understanding modern forms of social control.
Day 1 (Methodological Lecture) introduces research design and technical approaches, including the use of internet search data (e.g., Google Trends) and social media indicators, strategies for addressing data “noise,” and the application of two-step hurdle models to zero-inflated datasets.
Day 2 (Workshop) presents an empirical project on post-2004 UK search patterns related to Polish migrants. The session engages with theoretical frameworks such as Stanley Cohen’s concept of moral panic and Sean Hier’s responsibilization thesis, examining how labor market insecurities translate into scapegoating and social control. It also includes a discussion of migrant agency within segmented labor markets in Poland.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Participants will learn to:
- integrate digital trace data with socioeconomic indicators in research design
- apply theories of social control and moral regulation to big data analysis
- critically assess methodological and ethical challenges in using digital data
This seminar is supported by the Erasmus+ program.
István Kósa, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania
István Kósa, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania (Romania). He holds PhDs in Philosophy (University of Debrecen) and Communication Studies (Corvinus University of Budapest), and an MA in the Sociology of Public Opinion from the University of Bucharest.
His teaching focuses on sociological theory and persuasion in digital environments. His research examines selective exposure, news avoidance, and psychological reactance. He has published extensively and participated in the EU project KnowandPol (2006–2011), and serves as a reviewer for journals including Media Psychology, Digital Journalism, and Communication Research.
Rafał Smoczyński, IFiS PAN
Rafał Smoczyński is a sociologist at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFiS PAN), where he heads the Research Unit on Religion. His research focuses on social control, moral regulation, economic sociology, and the sociology of religion.
He has led and co-led numerous international research projects on migration, moral panics, and societal reactions to migrants, including comparative studies across Central and Eastern Europe and the UK. His work combines theoretical approaches with empirical research on labor markets, migration, and normative structures in contemporary societies.
Daniel Addy, GSSR
Daniel Addy is a third-year PhD candidate in Sociology at the Graduate School for Social Research. His research focuses on the dynamics of migration, labor markets, and social processes shaping economic behavior. His doctoral dissertation examines African migrant businesspeople in Eastern Europe, with particular attention to tax compliance and social remittances.