Baner czasopisma
Social functioning of female reverts to Islam in Poland

Authors

  • Monika Ben Mrad

    UNIWERSYTET JAGIELLOŃSKI
    E-MAIL: MONIKA.BENMRAD@GMAIL.COM
    ORCID: 0000-0002-0359-3468
  • Volume 5 Issue (2) 2021
Pages

43-53

DOI
10.51149/ROEA.2.2021.4
Abstract

This article, based on two field research carried out between 2018 and 2021, draws upon qualitative and quantitative data and aims to depict the current state of female reverts to Islam in Poland. The growing number of reverts in Europe has fueled discussions about the concept of European Islam and the role of reverts in society. Thus, even if they are identified as a small part of the population, they can become social agents in interfaith linking. Reverts deal with prejudices and balance their identity between a sense of religious and national belonging. There is a common assumption in public opinion that religiosity as such excludes the identification and integration of minorities with major cultures and groups, so in this article the authorwanted to look at how Polish women reverting to Islam negotiate their religious identity, beliefs and practices while living primarily in a Catholic environment.

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Keywords

Ahmad A. 1992. The Farewell Sermon of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Islamabad.
Allievi S. 1998. Les convertis à l’islam. Les nouveaux musulmans d’Europe. Paris : L’Harmattan. 
Amghar S. 2006. Logiques conversionnistes et mouvements de réislamisation.  
Allievi S. 2000. “Les conversions à l’islam. Redéfinition des frontières identitaires entre individu et communauté” in: Paroles d’islam. F. Dassetto  (ed.). Paris: Maisonneuve et Larose.
Badron M. 2007. “Feminism and conversion." in: Women embracing Islam and conversion to Islam in the West, K. van Nieuwkerk (ed.), Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
Barro R., Hwang J., McCleary R. 2010. "Religious Conversion in 40 Countries." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.
Bender M., Yeresyan I. 2014. "The importance of religiosity and cultural maintenance for self-esteem: The case of second-generation Turkish-Dutch adolescents." In: Global perspectives on well-being in immigrant families. R. Dimitrova, M. Bender, F. J. R. van de Vijver (eds.), New York, NY: Springer, 115-133.
Berry J. W. 2005. "Acculturation: Living successfully in two cultures." International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Vol. 29: 697–712

Bertram Ł., Puchejda A. and Wigura K. 2017. Negatywny obraz muzułmanów w polskiej prasie, Raport Obserwatorium Debaty Publicznej „Kultury Liberalnej, source: https://www.rpo.gov.pl/sites/default/files/Raport_Negatywny_obraz_muzulmanow_w_polskiej_ prasie_Analiza_wybranych_przykladow_z_lat_2015_2016.pdf [04.03.2021].
Bidar A. 2016. Les rencontres de la laïcité : laïcité et religion dans la France d'aujourd'hui, Éditions Privat.
Bleich E. 2011. "What Is Islamophobia and How Much Is There? Theorizing and Measuring an Emerging Comparative Concept", Ameri­can Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 55, No. 12: 1581–1600.
Bobako M. 2017. Islamofobia jako technologia władzy: studium z antropologii politycznej, Kraków: TAiWPN Universitas.
Brice K. 2010. A minority within a minority: a report on converts to Islam in the United Kingdom. Faith Matters. Swansea University.
Coe G.A. 1899. "A study in the dynamics of personal religion." Psychological Review, Sept.: 484-505.
de la Baume M. 2013. “More in France Are Turning to Islam, Challenging a Nation's Idea of Itself." New York Times. 03.02.2013.
Dimitrova R., Aydinli-Karakulak A. 2016. “Acculturation orientations mediate the link between religious identity and adjustment of Tur­kish-Bulgarian and Turkish-German adolescents”. Springer Plus, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1024.
Dudek A. 2016. Poddaję się. Życie muzułmanek w Polsce. Warszawa: PWN.
Dudzińska A., Kotnarowski M. 2019. "Imaginary Muslims: How the Polish right frames Islam". Brookings. Source: https://www.brookings.edu/research/imaginary-muslims-how-polands-populists-frame-islam/ [01.03.2021].
Erikson E. 1968. Identity: Youth and crisis. New York, NY: Norton.
Friedman M., Saroglou V. 2010. "Religiosity, psychological acculturation to the host culture, self-esteem and depressive symptoms among sstigmatised and snonstigmatised religious immigrant groups in Western Europe." Basic and Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 32, No. 2: 185–195. 
Foner N. Alba R. 2008. "Immigrant religion in the US and Western Europe: Bridge or barrier to inclusion?", International Migration Review, Vol. 42, No. 2: 360–392.
Furrow K. 2004. "Religion as a resource for positive youth development: Religion, social capital, and moral outcomes." Developmental Psychology, Vol. 40: 703–713.
Graves T. 1967. "Psychological acculturation in a tri-ethnic community." South-Western Journal of Anthropology, Vol. 23: 337–350.
Grim B. J., Mehtab K. S. 2011. The Future of the Global Muslim Population: Projections for 2010-2030. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center. 
Güngör D. 2020. "Religious acculturation." in:  The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development, Volume VII: History, Theory, & Culture. Stephen Hupp & Jeremy D. Jewell (eds.), New Jersey, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
Güngör D., Bornstein M. H. Phalet K. 2012. "Religiosity, values, and acculturation: Astudy of Turkish, Turkish-Belgian, and Belgian adolescents." International Journal of Behavioral Development, Vol. 36, No. 5: 367–373.
Ipgrave M. 2006. "Conversion, Dialogue and Identity.: in: Finding and losing faith. Studies in Conversion, C. Partridge & H. Reid (eds.), Waynesboro.
Kepel G. 1991. Les banlieues de l’islam. Paris: Points-Seuil.
Cesari J. 1997. Être musulman en France aujourd’hui. Paris: Hachette.
Kochanowicz M. 2015. “Islam, Europa… gdzie ta sprzeczność?” Kultura Liberalna,  No. 37/2015, July 7, 2015.
Leuenberger S. 2015. „Various Motives: Conversion to Islam in Europe” Public Con-Spiracy for the Poor (CS), Ernst Förster SJ.
Meziti M. 2013.  Dictionnaire de l'islamophobie, Bayard Jeunesse.
Nalborczyk A., Pędziwiatr K. 2018. "Between Old Traditions and New Diversities – Islamic Religious Education in Poland." in: European Perspectives on Islamic Education and Public Schooling, Jenny Berglund (ed.) London: Equinox, 136-156.
Nowicka E. 1990. Swoi i obcy, Warszawa: Uniwersytet Warszawski, Instytut Socjologii.
Özyürek E. 2015. Being German, becoming Muslim. Race, Religion, and Conversion in the New Europe. Princeton University Press.
Pędziwiatr K. 2016. "Islamophobia in Poland: National Report 2015", in: European Islamophobia Report 2015, Farid Hafez and Enes Bayrakli (eds.), Istanbul: SETA, 423–441.
Piela A. 2018. "Islamophobia in Poland: National Report 2017", in: European Islamophobia Report 2017, Farid Hafez and Enes Bayrakli (eds.), Istanbul: SETA.
Rogowska B. 2017. The influence of Poles converted to Islam on local communities in Poland. Uniwersytet Łódzki
Saroglou V. 2011. "Believing, bonding, behaving, and belonging." Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol. 42, No. 8: 1320–1340.
Sealy T. 2020. The betweenness of the double stranger: British converts to Islam and patterns of belonging. Social Compass.
Sealy T. 2021. Religiosity and Recognition. Multiculturalism and British Converts to Islam. Palgrave Macmillan
Sirin S. R., Bikmen N., Mir M., Fine M., Zaal M., Katsiaficas D. 2008. "Exploring dual identification among Muslim-American emerging adults: A mixed-methods study." Journal of Adolescence, Vol.31, No. 2: 259–279
Skrodzka M., Stefaniak A. 2017. Postawy wobec muzułmanów a przywiązanie do grupy własnej w Polsce, Warszawa: Centrum Badań nad Uprzedzeniami.
Suarez-Orozco C., Singh S., Abo-Zena M. M., Du D., Roeser R. W. 2011. "The role of religion and worship communities in the positive development of immigrant youth." In: Thriving and spirituality among youth. A. E. A. Warren, R. M. Lerner, & E. Phelps (eds.), Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 255–288.
Suleiman Y. 2013. Narratives of Conversion to Islam in Britain. Female Perspectives. Cambridge: Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre Of Islamic Studies. 
van Nieuwkrek K. 2007. Women embracing Islam and conversion to Islam in the West, Austin. 

Winiewski M., Hansen K., Bilewicz M., Soral W., Świderska A., Bulska, D. 2017. Mowa nienawiści, mowa pogardy: Raport z badania przemocy werbalnej wobec grup mniejszościowych, Warszawa: Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego.
Ysseldyk R., Matheson K., Anisman H. 2010. "Religiosity as identity: Toward an understanding of religion from a social identity perspective." Personality and social psychology Review, Vol. 14, No. 1: 60–71.

Documents:
Główny Urząd Statystyczny 2019. Report Religious denominations in Poland 2015-2018.  
PEW Research Center 2016. Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey. Q36. 
TNS OBOP. 2015. Z czym kojarzy się Polakom słowo „Islam”. 
CBOS. 2018. Stosunek Polaków do innych narodów.
The World Bank. Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.ACTI.FE.ZS [accessed on: 03.03.2021]
World Population Review. 2020. Religion by Country 2020. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/religion-by-country [accessed on: 21.01. 2021]
Pew Research Center. The Changing Global Religious Landscape. Religion & Public Life Project. [accessed on: 28.01.2021].
Pew Research Center Religious composition by country, https://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/religious-projection-table/ [accessed on: 17.02.2021]
Pew Research Center. 2015. The Changing Global Religious Landscape.
Pew Research Center. Cumulative Change Due to Religious Switching, 2010–2050. https://wayback.archiveit.org/ all/20150429153811/ http://www.pewforum.org/files/2015/03/PF_15.04.02_ProjectionsFullReport.pdf [accessed on: 20.02.2021].
Institute for Catholic Church Statistics. Praktyki niedzielne Polaków (dominicantes), http://iskk.pl/badania/religijnosc/211-praktyki-niedzielne-polakow-dominicantes. [accessed on: 20.02.2021]
IPSOS. Perils of conception 2018. https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/perils-perception-2018 [accessed on: 20.02.2021].

Ahmad A. 1992. The Farewell Sermon of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Islamabad.
Allievi S. 1998. Les convertis à l’islam. Les nouveaux musulmans d’Europe. Paris : L’Harmattan. 
Amghar S. 2006. Logiques conversionnistes et mouvements de réislamisation.  
Allievi S. 2000. “Les conversions à l’islam. Redéfinition des frontières identitaires entre individu et communauté” in: Paroles d’islam. F. Dassetto  (ed.). Paris: Maisonneuve et Larose.
Badron M. 2007. “Feminism and conversion." in: Women embracing Islam and conversion to Islam in the West, K. van Nieuwkerk (ed.), Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
Barro R., Hwang J., McCleary R. 2010. "Religious Conversion in 40 Countries." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.
Bender M., Yeresyan I. 2014. "The importance of religiosity and cultural maintenance for self-esteem: The case of second-generation Turkish-Dutch adolescents." In: Global perspectives on well-being in immigrant families. R. Dimitrova, M. Bender, F. J. R. van de Vijver (eds.), New York, NY: Springer, 115-133.
Berry J. W. 2005. "Acculturation: Living successfully in two cultures." International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Vol. 29: 697–712

Bertram Ł., Puchejda A. and Wigura K. 2017. Negatywny obraz muzułmanów w polskiej prasie, Raport Obserwatorium Debaty Publicznej „Kultury Liberalnej, source: https://www.rpo.gov.pl/sites/default/files/Raport_Negatywny_obraz_muzulmanow_w_polskiej_ prasie_Analiza_wybranych_przykladow_z_lat_2015_2016.pdf [04.03.2021].
Bidar A. 2016. Les rencontres de la laïcité : laïcité et religion dans la France d'aujourd'hui, Éditions Privat.
Bleich E. 2011. "What Is Islamophobia and How Much Is There? Theorizing and Measuring an Emerging Comparative Concept", Ameri­can Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 55, No. 12: 1581–1600.
Bobako M. 2017. Islamofobia jako technologia władzy: studium z antropologii politycznej, Kraków: TAiWPN Universitas.
Brice K. 2010. A minority within a minority: a report on converts to Islam in the United Kingdom. Faith Matters. Swansea University.
Coe G.A. 1899. "A study in the dynamics of personal religion." Psychological Review, Sept.: 484-505.
de la Baume M. 2013. “More in France Are Turning to Islam, Challenging a Nation's Idea of Itself." New York Times. 03.02.2013.
Dimitrova R., Aydinli-Karakulak A. 2016. “Acculturation orientations mediate the link between religious identity and adjustment of Tur­kish-Bulgarian and Turkish-German adolescents”. Springer Plus, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1024.
Dudek A. 2016. Poddaję się. Życie muzułmanek w Polsce. Warszawa: PWN.
Dudzińska A., Kotnarowski M. 2019. "Imaginary Muslims: How the Polish right frames Islam". Brookings. Source: https://www.brookings.edu/research/imaginary-muslims-how-polands-populists-frame-islam/ [01.03.2021].
Erikson E. 1968. Identity: Youth and crisis. New York, NY: Norton.
Friedman M., Saroglou V. 2010. "Religiosity, psychological acculturation to the host culture, self-esteem and depressive symptoms among sstigmatised and snonstigmatised religious immigrant groups in Western Europe." Basic and Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 32, No. 2: 185–195. 
Foner N. Alba R. 2008. "Immigrant religion in the US and Western Europe: Bridge or barrier to inclusion?", International Migration Review, Vol. 42, No. 2: 360–392.
Furrow K. 2004. "Religion as a resource for positive youth development: Religion, social capital, and moral outcomes." Developmental Psychology, Vol. 40: 703–713.
Graves T. 1967. "Psychological acculturation in a tri-ethnic community." South-Western Journal of Anthropology, Vol. 23: 337–350.
Grim B. J., Mehtab K. S. 2011. The Future of the Global Muslim Population: Projections for 2010-2030. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center. 
Güngör D. 2020. "Religious acculturation." in:  The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development, Volume VII: History, Theory, & Culture. Stephen Hupp & Jeremy D. Jewell (eds.), New Jersey, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
Güngör D., Bornstein M. H. Phalet K. 2012. "Religiosity, values, and acculturation: Astudy of Turkish, Turkish-Belgian, and Belgian adolescents." International Journal of Behavioral Development, Vol. 36, No. 5: 367–373.
Ipgrave M. 2006. "Conversion, Dialogue and Identity.: in: Finding and losing faith. Studies in Conversion, C. Partridge & H. Reid (eds.), Waynesboro.
Kepel G. 1991. Les banlieues de l’islam. Paris: Points-Seuil.
Cesari J. 1997. Être musulman en France aujourd’hui. Paris: Hachette.
Kochanowicz M. 2015. “Islam, Europa… gdzie ta sprzeczność?” Kultura Liberalna,  No. 37/2015, July 7, 2015.
Leuenberger S. 2015. „Various Motives: Conversion to Islam in Europe” Public Con-Spiracy for the Poor (CS), Ernst Förster SJ.
Meziti M. 2013.  Dictionnaire de l'islamophobie, Bayard Jeunesse.
Nalborczyk A., Pędziwiatr K. 2018. "Between Old Traditions and New Diversities – Islamic Religious Education in Poland." in: European Perspectives on Islamic Education and Public Schooling, Jenny Berglund (ed.) London: Equinox, 136-156.
Nowicka E. 1990. Swoi i obcy, Warszawa: Uniwersytet Warszawski, Instytut Socjologii.
Özyürek E. 2015. Being German, becoming Muslim. Race, Religion, and Conversion in the New Europe. Princeton University Press.
Pędziwiatr K. 2016. "Islamophobia in Poland: National Report 2015", in: European Islamophobia Report 2015, Farid Hafez and Enes Bayrakli (eds.), Istanbul: SETA, 423–441.
Piela A. 2018. "Islamophobia in Poland: National Report 2017", in: European Islamophobia Report 2017, Farid Hafez and Enes Bayrakli (eds.), Istanbul: SETA.
Rogowska B. 2017. The influence of Poles converted to Islam on local communities in Poland. Uniwersytet Łódzki
Saroglou V. 2011. "Believing, bonding, behaving, and belonging." Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol. 42, No. 8: 1320–1340.
Sealy T. 2020. The betweenness of the double stranger: British converts to Islam and patterns of belonging. Social Compass.
Sealy T. 2021. Religiosity and Recognition. Multiculturalism and British Converts to Islam. Palgrave Macmillan
Sirin S. R., Bikmen N., Mir M., Fine M., Zaal M., Katsiaficas D. 2008. "Exploring dual identification among Muslim-American emerging adults: A mixed-methods study." Journal of Adolescence, Vol.31, No. 2: 259–279
Skrodzka M., Stefaniak A. 2017. Postawy wobec muzułmanów a przywiązanie do grupy własnej w Polsce, Warszawa: Centrum Badań nad Uprzedzeniami.
Suarez-Orozco C., Singh S., Abo-Zena M. M., Du D., Roeser R. W. 2011. "The role of religion and worship communities in the positive development of immigrant youth." In: Thriving and spirituality among youth. A. E. A. Warren, R. M. Lerner, & E. Phelps (eds.), Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 255–288.
Suleiman Y. 2013. Narratives of Conversion to Islam in Britain. Female Perspectives. Cambridge: Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre Of Islamic Studies. 
van Nieuwkrek K. 2007. Women embracing Islam and conversion to Islam in the West, Austin. 

Winiewski M., Hansen K., Bilewicz M., Soral W., Świderska A., Bulska, D. 2017. Mowa nienawiści, mowa pogardy: Raport z badania przemocy werbalnej wobec grup mniejszościowych, Warszawa: Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego.
Ysseldyk R., Matheson K., Anisman H. 2010. "Religiosity as identity: Toward an understanding of religion from a social identity perspective." Personality and social psychology Review, Vol. 14, No. 1: 60–71.

Documents:
Główny Urząd Statystyczny 2019. Report Religious denominations in Poland 2015-2018.  
PEW Research Center 2016. Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey. Q36. 
TNS OBOP. 2015. Z czym kojarzy się Polakom słowo „Islam”. 
CBOS. 2018. Stosunek Polaków do innych narodów.
The World Bank. Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.ACTI.FE.ZS [accessed on: 03.03.2021]
World Population Review. 2020. Religion by Country 2020. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/religion-by-country [accessed on: 21.01. 2021]
Pew Research Center. The Changing Global Religious Landscape. Religion & Public Life Project. [accessed on: 28.01.2021].
Pew Research Center Religious composition by country, https://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/religious-projection-table/ [accessed on: 17.02.2021]
Pew Research Center. 2015. The Changing Global Religious Landscape.
Pew Research Center. Cumulative Change Due to Religious Switching, 2010–2050. https://wayback.archiveit.org/ all/20150429153811/ http://www.pewforum.org/files/2015/03/PF_15.04.02_ProjectionsFullReport.pdf [accessed on: 20.02.2021].
Institute for Catholic Church Statistics. Praktyki niedzielne Polaków (dominicantes), http://iskk.pl/badania/religijnosc/211-praktyki-niedzielne-polakow-dominicantes. [accessed on: 20.02.2021]
IPSOS. Perils of conception 2018. https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/perils-perception-2018 [accessed on: 20.02.2021].

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