Lena Kolarska-Bobinska
Encyclopedia
Professor Lena Barbara Kolarska-Bobińska (Born 3 December 1947 in Prague) is a Member of the European Parliament (2009-) from Poland
representing the Lublin
region from the Civic Platform Party list. She is a graduate of the Sociology Department of the University of Warsaw
, as well as a post-doctoral fellow at Stanford University
and the Business School of Carnegie Mellon University
. She also holds a Doctorate (dr. hab.)(1974) and the title of Professor from the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), where she was head of the Department of Economics and Politics until 1991. From 1991 to 1997 she was director of CBOS, Poland
's largest public opinion research centre. From 1997 until July 2009, she has been the director of the Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
, an independent, non-partisan public policy think tank
, stepping down upon her election to the European Parliament.
Kolarska-Bobińska has written over 300 books and articles. She has been a lecturer at universities in Poland and abroad. She often comments on political and social developments for Polish and international media. She is a regular columnist
for the Polish
newspaper "Gazeta Wyborcza
" and was until 2009, a regular columnist
for the French
journal Les Échos.
Kolarska-Bobińska is a member of many Polish and international associations and advisory boards. She was a member of the Economic Council of President
Lech Wałęsa
(1992–1995), adviser of the Chief Negotiator for Poland's accession to the EU
(1998–2001), and a member of President Aleksander Kwaśniewski
's Reflection Group (2001–2005).
She is fluent in Polish, English and Spanish.
List of National Honours:
Knight's Cross of the Order of Poland Reborn awarded by the Polish President (1997).
Officer's Cross of the Order of Poland Reborn awarded by the Polish President (2004).
European Medal awarded by the European Integration Committee and the Business Centre Club (2004).
'Ordre National du Mérite' awarded by the President of the French Republic (2005)
She is married to Krzysztof Bobiński who is the president of Unia & Polska, a pro-European think-tank in Warsaw and former Warsaw correspondent of the Financial Times (1976–2000). They have two children.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
representing the Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
region from the Civic Platform Party list. She is a graduate of the Sociology Department of the University of Warsaw
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
, as well as a post-doctoral fellow at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and the Business School of Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
. She also holds a Doctorate (dr. hab.)(1974) and the title of Professor from the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), where she was head of the Department of Economics and Politics until 1991. From 1991 to 1997 she was director of CBOS, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
's largest public opinion research centre. From 1997 until July 2009, she has been the director of the Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
Institute of Public Affairs, Poland
Institute of Public Affairs is an independent, non-partisan public policy think tank in Poland. The IPA was established in 1995 to support modernization reforms and to provide a forum for informed debate on social and political issues...
, an independent, non-partisan public policy think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
, stepping down upon her election to the European Parliament.
Kolarska-Bobińska has written over 300 books and articles. She has been a lecturer at universities in Poland and abroad. She often comments on political and social developments for Polish and international media. She is a regular columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
newspaper "Gazeta Wyborcza
Gazeta Wyborcza
Gazeta Wyborcza is a leading Polish newspaper. It covers the gamut of political, international and general news. Like all the Polish newspapers, it is printed on compact-sized paper, and is published by the multimedia corporation Agora SA...
" and was until 2009, a regular columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
journal Les Échos.
Kolarska-Bobińska is a member of many Polish and international associations and advisory boards. She was a member of the Economic Council of President
President of the Republic of Poland
The President of the Republic of Poland is the Polish head of state. His or her rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Poland....
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
(1992–1995), adviser of the Chief Negotiator for Poland's accession to the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(1998–2001), and a member of President Aleksander Kwaśniewski
Aleksander Kwasniewski
Aleksander Kwaśniewski is a Polish politician who served as the President of Poland from 1995 to 2005. He was born in Białogard, and during communist rule he was active in the Socialist Union of Polish Students and was the Minister for Sport in the communist government in the 1980s...
's Reflection Group (2001–2005).
She is fluent in Polish, English and Spanish.
List of National Honours:
Knight's Cross of the Order of Poland Reborn awarded by the Polish President (1997).
Officer's Cross of the Order of Poland Reborn awarded by the Polish President (2004).
European Medal awarded by the European Integration Committee and the Business Centre Club (2004).
'Ordre National du Mérite' awarded by the President of the French Republic (2005)
She is married to Krzysztof Bobiński who is the president of Unia & Polska, a pro-European think-tank in Warsaw and former Warsaw correspondent of the Financial Times (1976–2000). They have two children.