A profile of the Polish rural NIMBYist

This article presents the key results of work which was carried out in rural areas and small towns in Poland in the years 2013-16, and was concerned with the so-called NIMBY syndrome. The latter is associated with socio-spatial conflicts and takes in a certain group of interlinked events and behaviours relating to plans or decisions as regards the locating of new unwanted or undesirable developments. NIMBY-type buildings or items of infrastructure are regarded by local communities as potentially harmful, even if their installation and operation is needed by society as a whole (hence the original phrase ”yes, but Not In My Back Yard). The work described here has sought to consider the profile of the Polish rural NIMYist, and the conditioning and specific nature of the NIMBY syndrome in terms of its social dimension.