This study of the Polish-American community in the Greater Boston area has a threefold purpose: (1) it attempts to provide a socio-historical outline of the group's structural position and cultural characteristics; (2) it analyzes the influence of selected factors such as generational positioning, educational status, and place of residence on contemporary ethnicity within the context of psychological, cultural, and social components; and (3) it discusses the present social-cultural life of the community while investigating future trends in ethnicity maintenance. Additional topics discussed and/or analyzed as they relate to the Polish community in Boston following the Second World War include socioeconomic position, occupational mobility, population trends, educational attainment, ethnic identification, traditional and acculturated traits, and ingroup social life. Appendices include a sample study questionnaire and statistical tables. A bibliography is included. (EB)