Conversion to Islam is a process that is often misunderstood and negatively perceived in Poland. In particular, this refers to new Muslims who, along with adopting a new religion, also adopt the specific standards related to Islam, such as wearing the hijab. When deciding to convert to Islam, neophytes expose themselves to triple exclusion (religious: they rejected Catholicism; cultural: they adopted the specific standards related to Islam and sociological: as potential or actual wives of Muslims). The research team intends to answer the question on how Polish female Islam converts manage their stigmatised identity in the relations with significant individuals and groups: family, other Muslims (converts and cultural Muslims) and non-Muslims.
The basis of the research will be in-depth partially structured interviews with converts (approx. 20 in Poland and 20 abroad, primarily in Great Britain). Furthermore, interviews with cultural Muslims and opinion leaders are also planned. Furthermore, Personal Position Repertoires (PPR) matrices are going to be used to accomplish a fuller picture of strategies adopted by the Polish female Islam converts. With respect to quantity methods, an on-line survey among approx. 100 respondents will be carried out.
The project will be innovative due to two reasons. First of all, it tackles the issue of women converting to Islam from a new perspective, namely formation of image in relations with significant individuals and groups. Secondly, it would be the first research devoted to the Polish converts to Islam published in English and one of the few devoted to Islam in Central and Eastern Europe. The project is also aimed at changing the slightly dominant negative stereotype related to conversion to Islam. The reality is definitely much more complex than the commonplace beliefs.