2. The Bookseller and the Basketball Player: Tales from the French Polonia

Abstract

INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the story of some individuals from French Polonia, focussing in particularly on two speakers from the group studied, through the lens of close quantitative and qualitative analysis of their speech. The mixed method approach used to throw a spotlight individuals’ lives, histories, aspirations, experience of migration, stances in relation to dual and multiple identities helps in the telling of their individual stories and has implications for migrants globally. It has been customary to see quantitative analysis particularly as not always picking up the detail necessary to access the fine detail of individuals’ situations. It is hoped to demonstrate that quantitative analysis when sensitive to currently evolving categories in the current world situation, and when combined with qualitative investigation of the data gathered, will propose an effective method of gaining access to peoples’ life histories in a way that using only qualitative analysis, or case studies, or indeed quantitative analysis on its own, do not.