The projects led by the MECAU staff include:
- 2026-2024: Academic Partnership for the Study of the Middle East and North Africa in Central and Eastern Europe (CEEMEA) funded by NAWA Startegic Partnerships, head: dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska, prof. SGH
- 2026-2024: Islamic Religious Education in Poland: Exploring Policies and Community
Responses in Formal and Non-Formal Settings funded within RID START (Regional Excellence Initiative Programme at SGH), head: mgr Deniz Doğanay - 2025-2024: Student activism for Palestine in the context of the war in the Gaza Strip: local and global perspectives within the NAWA Intervention Grants, head: dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska, prof. SGH
- 2024-2022: Digital Islam across Europe: Understanding Muslims’ Participation in Online Islamic Environments funded within CHANSE - Collaboration of Humanities and Social Sciences in Europe PL: Prof. Frederic Volpi (university of Edinburgh), PI at SGH: prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- 2025-2022: Preventing Radicalisation of Muslim Communities in the Counterterrorism Policies of the United Kingdom and the United States funded by NCN PRELUDIUM grant no. 2022/45/N/HS5/03418, head: mgr Aleksanrda Tołczyk
- Academic Partnership for the Study of the Middle East and North Africa in Central and Eastern Europe (CEEMEA)
- Title: Academic Partnership for the Study of the Middle East and North Africa in Central and Eastern Europe (CEEMEA)
- Partners: Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas (Lithuania), Tartu Ülikool (Estonia), Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem (Hungary), Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze (Czechia), Київський національний економічний університет (Ukraine), Ekonomická univerzita v Bratislave (Slovakia)
- PC: dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska, prof. SGH
- Funding: NAWA - Strategic Partnerships Programme
- Team SGH: dr hab. Arkadiusz M. Kowalski, prof. SGH (KGŚ), dr hab. Krzysztof Falkowski, prof. SGH (KGŚ), dr Agata Górska-Lisicka, dr hab. Małgorzata S. Lewandowska, prof. SGH (KGŚ), dr Marta Mackiewicz (KGŚ), dr hab. Joanna Modrzejewska-Leśniewska, prof. SGH, dr Tomasz Napiórkowski (KGŚ), dr Agnieszka Syliwoniuk-Wapowska
The project aims to establish a long-term, stable partnership of universities from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), where research on the politics, economy and security of the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. As part of the Partnership, 4 research teams will be established dealing with migration, competitiveness, politics and security, and the influence of Middle Eastern countries in CEE. Partners in the project are departments from CEE universities with various profiles – regional, global, Asian studies, international relations, which conduct interdisciplinary research on MENA. Combining these issues into 4 clusters of thematic areas that capture relations between CEE and MENA will translate into the internationalization of research results and inclusion of research from and about CEE in global Middle Eastern studies.
An important area of the Partnership’s activity is education and dissemination of research results, especially since the MENA region is strongly stereotyped in the CEE countries. As part of the partnership, e-modules in local languages will be developed (Czech, Estonian, Slovak) similar to the SGH database, the course syllabus for International Business at SGH, as well as 3 events for various target groups (doctoral students – workshops with MasterClass in Estonia, economists and political scientists – conference on competitiveness in Poland, and Middle East researchers – a seminar in Lithuania). Moreover, we plan to prepare 2 monographs and at least 6 scientific articles in English, 1 project application and 1 set of recommendations.
The long-term effect of the project is the inclusion of the perspectives and experiences of the CEE countries in research on MENA by establishing permanent joint teams and conducting interdisciplinary comparative research. At the level of the third mission of the university – through the database of teaching materials - the project will contribute to “disenchanting” the Middle East by increasing knowledge about its specificity and diversity.
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- Islamic Religious Education in Poland: Exploring Policies and Community
Responses in Formal and Non-Formal Settings - Project title: Islamic Religious Education in Poland: Exploring Policies and Community
Responses in Formal and Non-Formal Settings - PC: mgr Deniz Doğanay
- Funding: RID START (Regional Excellence Initiative Programme at SGH)
This research explores Islamic Religious Education (IRE) in Poland, focusing on its provision within both formal environments, such as schools, and informal settings like mosques and community centers. Although Polish law allows IRE in public schools, practical difficulties often limit its accessibility. Consequently, many Muslim families turn to programs organized by religious and community institutions to meet their children’s educational needs. By examining national education policies and the adaptations made by Muslim communities, this study sheds light on the logistical and resource challenges faced by both formal and informal IRE providers. Through interviews and document analysis, this research aims to support efforts that promote legitimate, state-supervised religious education, helping to steer communities away from radical influences. Ultimately, it contributes to a deeper understanding of minority rights, education policy, and social integration in Poland.
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- Project title: Islamic Religious Education in Poland: Exploring Policies and Community
- Student activism for Palestine in the context of the War in Gaza: global and local perspectives
- Project title: Student activism for Palestine in the context of the War in Gaza: global and local perspectives
- Partnerzy: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University of California, New York University, City, University of London.
- PC: prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- Funding: NAWA - Intervention Grants
On October 7, 2023, the war in the Gaza Strip, also known as the Israel-Hamas war, began. This event dramatically altered the geopolitical trajectory of relations between Israel and Palestine, with severe humanitarian consequences. As a result, the ongoing war has sparked widespread social protests, ranging from general anti-war sentiments to clear pro-Palestinian stances. The scale of these protests and demonstrations is evidenced by the fact that many university campuses, especially in Anglo-Saxon countries, have seen multi-day occupation strikes and makeshift tent cities. Furthermore, at the end of May, similar demonstrations began at two Polish universities: Jagiellonian University and the University of Warsaw. The scale of these protests, their subject matter, and the unexpected Polish dimension led us to initiate a research project focused on student activism in support of Palestine within the context of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. We are particularly interested in local activism among Polish students – exploring their goals, demands, narratives, and the complex and sometimes turbulent interactions with other university stakeholders.
However, our project also has a strong international component. Understanding the “pro-Palestinian” protests in Poland requires a thorough examination of analogous protests in Western countries. Our research aims to contextualize student pro-Palestine activism in two ways:
(a) Verify whether the Polish movement merely reflects what is happening in the West or if it has a distinct local component. To achieve this, field research in the United States and the United Kingdom is essential.
(b) Investigate how Poland’s historical experiences influence the way activists portray the situation in Gaza. For this purpose, referencing the experiences of German universities would be relevant.
Our project involves conducting research in Poland and selected universities in three Western countries: Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom. In Poland, our research will combine historical inquiries to contextualize current protests within Polish semi-peripheral discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and in particular Gaza war in Polish media, and qualitative research – interviews with stakeholders involved in these protests and, if feasible, participant observation. For foreign universities, we will primarily focus on qualitative research. Theoretical and conceptual frameworks will draw from sociology of social movements, post-colonial interpretations of the semi-peripheral Polish position, studies on anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, Islamophobia, as well as the history and contemporary context of Palestine and Israel. Ultimately, our project aims to produce at least three articles in international journals (preferably indexed in JCR or Scopus/WoS) and a collective monograph manuscript (partially based on an open Call for Papers) for a foreign publisher. We also plan to disseminate project results at a minimum of six international conferences.The team:
- dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska, prof. SGH
- dr hab. Joanna Dyduch, prof. UJ (Department of Israel UJ)
- dr hab. Paweł Kubicki, prof. SGH (Department of Social Policy SGH)
- dr Jerzy Łazor (Department of Economic and Social History SGH)
- dr Karolina Rak (Department of the Middle East UJ)
- dr Artur Skorek (Department of Israel UJ)
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- Digital Islam across Europe: Understanding Muslims’ Participation in Online Islamic Environments
- Title: Digital Islam across Europe: Understanding Muslims’ Participation in Online Islamic Environments
- Partners: University of Edinburgh (PL), SGH Warsaw School of Economics, University of Gothenburg, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Vytautas Magnus University
- PI at SGH: Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- Funding: CHANSE (Collaboration of Humanities and Social Sciences in Europe)
- Administrative support: Anna Jędrzejczyk (Project Support Office)
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Contemporary social, religious, and political hierarchies within Muslim communities are transformed by the eroding monopolization of knowledge by elites. The digital revolution intensified transnational diasporic ties and widened inter-generational differences within Muslim populations throughout Europe. Yet, our general comprehension of the creation, use, and influence of Online Islamic Environments (OIEs) is highly limited.
This project investigates the characteristics of contemporary OIEs, and their consequences for the social and religious practices of different Muslim populations within and across distinct European contexts. Focusing on the interactions between producers and users of OIEs, it examines how, when and why individuals and groups seek advice on the internet about a range of social and religious issues, as well as how their online and offline experiences and practices shape one another. The project entails in-depth research on the production and use of OIEs in in five European countries: Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
At its core, the project will provide an examination of how diverse Muslim populations engage with the online ecosystem providing formal or informal advice on issues related to Islam. It will show how these interactions shape, and are shaped, by the success of specific online producers. It will also analyse on how these usages of OIE can induce revisions of individual behaviour and belief in different national settings.
The research for the project combines qualitative and quantitative methods. These include semi-structured interviews of producers and users of OIEs, a netnographic tracing of online habits, and a transnational survey of producers of online Islamic guidance and their followers. The research will provide concise explanations of the dynamics and social implications of OIEs to specific stakeholders, including Muslim organisations and networks, national policy makers, and third sector organisations.
SGH Team:
- Dr habil. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska, prof. SGH
- Dr Mateusz Chudziak
- Deniz Doğanay, MA (2024)
- Dr Joanna Krotofil (Jagiellonian University)
- Karolina Smołucha (2024)
- Iga Wermińska-Wiśnicka, MA (2023-2024)
Results- Górak-Sosnowska, K., Chudziak, M., Krotofil, J. Rola edukacyjna chutb w polskich meczetach: między polskością a muzułmańskością, „Przegląd Religioznawczy”, 2(292), 2024, s. 103-114.
- Górak-Sosnowska, K., Chudziak, M., Samsel, J., Wermińska-Wiśnicka, I. (2024). Islam i muzułmanie w praktyce szkolnej. Materiały dydaktyczne online. 41 s. (online)
Conference participation
- 15-17 May 2023, Turku (Finland), conference “Religion and Spirituality as Sites of Learning”. Paper “Polish Islamic Internet as Site of Learning” by Dr habil. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska and Dr Joanna Krotofil. The conference was organised by the Donner Institute.
- 21-22 May 2024, Annual Conference of the British Association for Islamic Studies, University of Leeds. The paper: The educational role of khutbas in Polish mosques: between Polishness and Muslimness was delivered by Dr. hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska; paper prepared with Dr. Mateusz Chudziak and Dr. Joanna Krotofil.
- 19-23 of August, 2024, 21st Annual Conference of the European Association for the Study of Religions, University of Gothenburg. Presentation: “Islamophobia from Above. Anti-Muslim Discourse on the Polish Internet”, prepared and presented by dr. Mateusz Chudziak.
Dissemination
- 29 May 2023, Kutno, wokshop on the diversity of IOE in a growing multi-ethnic and multi-sectarian society for teachers of the 1st high school of H. Dąbrowski in Kutno. Workshop delivered by Dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska.
- 14 and 28 October 2023, online, workshops for Muslim women “Self-presentation, image creation and lifestyle promotion in social media.” The workshop was conducted by Dr. hab. Magdalena Kachniewska.
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- Preventing Radicalisation of Muslim Communities in the Counterterrorism Policies of the United Kingdom and the United States
- Project title: Preventing Radicalisation of Muslim Communities in the Counterterrorism Policies of the United Kingdom and the United States
- Funding: National Science Centre (PRELUDIUM), grant no. 2022/45/N/HS5/03418
- Principal Investigator: mgr Aleksandra Tołczyk
- Mentor: Prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- Administrative support: mgr Anna Senator (Project Support Office)
The goal of the project is to compare the United Kingdom’s and the United States’ approach to prevent radicalisation among the Muslim communities of these countries and to assess the effectiveness and adequacy of developed implemented policies and programs from the perspective of the ‘wicked problem’ governance. Three research hypotheses will be verified:
- in both the British and American approaches, attempts to prevent radicalisation generate other problems that are difficult to solve/reduce, especially of a socio-religious nature;
- preventing radicalisation is a difficult challenge not only because of the inherent complexity of the issue but also because public sector governance mechanisms often complicate and hinder efforts to address wicked problems;
- Islamophobia and violence motivated by hatred of Muslims may be factors driving radicalisation, but actions taken in the United Kingdom and the United States aimed at preventing radicalisation do not take into account the risks posed by these phenomena, they may even stimulate them.
mgr Aleksandra Tołczyk (PI) – she graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences and International Studies at University of Warsaw. She works at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics as a research assistant (2022-). She is also a PhD Candidate in Political and Administrative Sciences (SGH, 2020-) and a member of SGH Student’s Union. Is a team member of projects funded by the European Commission.
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Past projects headed by MECAU staff:
- 2023-2022: EMPATHY: Challenging Discourse about Islam and Muslims in Poland funded by the European Commission: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (project no. 101049389); head: prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- 2023-2021: How to become a superpower? A strategic game funded by the Ministry of Science and Education (SONP/SP/514312/2021), head: dr Monika Krukowska
- 2023-2021: Navigating Social Worlds: Toolbox for Social Inquiry funded by Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships in Response of the Covid-19 Situation – Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness, nr 2020-1-PL01-KA226-HE-096356, head: Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- 2023-2018: Managing spoiled identity: the case of Polish female converts to Islam National Scinence Centre research grant, OPUS, no 2017/25/B/HS1/00286, head: Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- 2023-2019: University administration towards academic excellence nr 28/2019, MNiSW - Dialog, headed by mgr Anna Mielczarek-Taica (Nicolaus Copernicus University), task coordinator at SGH: prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- 2022-2019: Sensiclass: Tackling Sensitive Topics in a Classroom grant Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships (Key Action 2), nr 2019-1-EE01-KA203-051690, project leader: University of Tartu; project coordinator at SGH: prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- 2019-2017: ref:EU | Muslim minorities and the refugee crisis in Europe project co-funded withing the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Comission, Jean Monnet Project, head: Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- EMPATHY: Let’s Empower, Participate and Teach Each Other to Hype Empathy. Challenging Discourse about Islam and Muslims in Poland
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- Project title: EMPATHY: Let’s Empower, Participate and teach Each Other to Hype Empathy. Challenging Discourse about Islam and Muslims in Poland
- Partners: SGH Warsaw School of Economics (leader), APS Maria Grzegorzewska University, Institute of Dialogue and Discourse, Institute of Security and International Development, Women on the Road Foundation
- Associated Partners: Union of Polish Metropolises, SalamLab
- Project coordinator: Prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- Funding: European Commission: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers
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The project directly relates to the EU’s priorities for 2019–2024. Our project provides a complex & intersectional framework to tackle Islamophobia in Poland. The project aims to:
- identify, analyse, and challenge negative stereotypes against Muslims in different spheres,
- raise awareness and provide educational resources to relevant stakeholders, -monitor Islamophobia.
The project focuses on four thematic areas:
- School setting – 2 studies on Islam in school curricula + survey on teacher perception of Muslims; educational materials and activities: workshops for teachers (20), language lounges (20), international summer schools (2).
- Municipality setting – study on perception of Islam and Muslims among uniformed services, exploring Islamic Poland, workshops for municipality employees (12), social services (7), uniformed services (4) + workshops for Muslims on active citizenship (12) and safety in the city (4).
- Media & Law – study on legal cases on prosecution and court proceedings on anti-Muslim crimes; documenting Islamophobia in Polish media discourse.
- General public – online, social media & podcast campaign based on the human journalism approach + a series of culinary events (6) for direct involvement. Channels used have impact of 150K users monthly.
The Consortium is built by 2 HEIs – SGH Warsaw School of Economics and Maria Grzegorzewska University & 4 NGOs – Institute of Discourse and Dialogue, Institute of Security and International Development, Women on the Road Foundation, and Union of Polish Metropolises.
To our knowledge, this project would be the first one that tackles Islamophobia in Poland in such a comprehensive and complex manner. Thanks to the ambitious scope with a strong dissemination component, the project can raise awareness on the need to counteract Islamophobia in Poland.
SGH Team consists of:
- dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska, prof. SGH - project coordinator
- prof. dr hab. Janusz Danecki
- mgr Deniz Doganay
- mgr Justyna Gać
- dr hab. Joanna Modrzejewska-Leśniewska, prof. SGH
- mgr Irena Senator
- dr Agnieszka Syliwoniuk-Wapowska
- mgr Aleksandra Tołczyk
- dr Edyta Wolny-Abouelwafa (Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University, Saudi Arabia)
Publikacje (z całego projektu)
Monografie
- K. Górak-Sosnowska, J. Modrzejewska-Leśniewska, A. Tołczyk, Islam i muzułmanie w podręcznikach szkolnych, SGH, Warszawa 2023.
- A. Tołczyk, J. Sozańska, Służby mundurowe a islam i muzułmanie w Polsce, SGH, Warszawa 2023.
- Obecne - Nieobecne: Wątki dotyczące islamu i muzułmanów w doświadczeniach uczestników procesów edukacyjncyh w polskich szkołach, A. Odrowąż-Coates (red.), SGH, Warszawa 2023.
- E. Górska, A. Juzaszek, Islam w polskim sądzie, SGH, Warszawa 2023.
Articles:
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E. Górska, A. Juzaszek, The “Other” in Court: Islam and Muslims in Polish Judicial Opinions Published Online, Int J Semiot Law (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11196-023-10008-z
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Guidance material:
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K. Wilczyński, Uczmy o islamie. Poradnik i program dla osób edukujących, Kraków 2023, 62 s.
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A. Łojek, Muzułmańska Mapa Polski, SalamLab i Instytut Bezpieczeństwa i Rozwoju Międzynarodowego, Warszawa 2023, 57 s.
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- How to become a superpower? A strategic game
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- Project title: How to become a superpower? A strategic game
- Head of the project: Dr Monika Krukowska
- Funding: Ministry of Education and Science
The project entitled “How to Become a Superpower? A Strategic Game” is part of the Social Responsibility of Science / Excellent Science program implemented by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The team of the Institute of International Studies (IIS) of the Warsaw School of Economics, under the leadership of Monika Krukowska, PhD and in cooperation with specialists in the field of international relations and strategic games, will develop an educational game addressed to secondary school students who, when making decisions of an economic, political or security nature, will strive to win the game - take the position of a leader (a superpower). Participation in the game will allow students to acquire strategic thinking skills, useful both in their professional work and in everyday life, and make them aware of the multifactorial determinants of economic and political success, both domestically and internationally.
Activities under the project include printing the game “How to Become a Superpower?”, preparing a website enabling downloading the game for self-printing (Print & Play system). Supporting activities will be online lessons on international relations and the superpower status conducted in secondary schools all over Poland. IIS WSE will also host a series of open seminars related to the issue of the existence and functioning of superpowers. The project will be implemented in the period 2021-23 by researchers from the Middle East and Central Asia Unit, IIS in cooperation with research centers, including the University of Warsaw, the Academy of Martial Arts and specialists in game mechanics.
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- Navigating Social Worlds: Toolbox for Social Inquiry
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- Project title: Navigating Social Worlds: Toolbox for Social Inquiry
- Partners: SGH Warsaw School of Economics (leader), Babeș-Bolyai University (Romania), Public Policy and Management Institute (Lithuania),University of Latvia (Latvia), University of Tartu (Estonia).
- Associated partners: Laboratory of Future Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Warsaw, 1st Highschool of C. Norwid in Bydgoszcz, 2nd Highschool of S. Żeromski in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Highschool of S. Banach in Żagań
- Project coordinator: prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- Funding: Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships in Response of the Covid-19 Situation – Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness
OpisNavigating Social Worlds
Results
Toolbox for Social Inquiry
Toolbox for Social Inquiry available in English + Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Polish and Romanian
http://socialworlds.sgh.waw.pl
Raports
Teaching online during Covid-19 in CEE countries (full reports)
Summaries
Small scale studies on teaching online
Articles
- L. Daniela, L., H. Selcuk (2022). Digitalization of Higher Education and Response to Covid-19 Pandemic in Latvia. In: L. Daniela (Ed.), Proceedings of Human Technologies and Quality of Education (pp. 253–266). Riga: University of Latvia. (indexed in WoS).
- J. Dunajeva, “University mentorship programs during pandemic: Case study of Hungarian Roma university students” to Social Sciences (CiteScore - Q1 (General Social Sciences)) https://www.mdpi.com/journal/socsci
- J. Dunajeva, Online higher education during the pandemic: The case of Hungary, “Przegląd Krytyczny”, 4(2): 11-30, DOI: 10.14746/pk.2022.4.2.2
- J. Dunajeva, K. Górak-Sosnowska, Navigating Social Worlds in Central and East European context, submitted to: “Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research a of Atlantis Press” (in print).
- K. Górak-Sosnowska, U. Markowska-Manista, & A. Tołczyk (2022). Teaching Social Studies Online. Insights from a Preliminary Qualitative Study in Poland in the COVID-19 Era. “Kultura i Edukacja”, nr 2 (136), p. 129-146
- K. Górak-Sosnowska, L. Tomaszewska, Teaching online in Polish higher education institutions, “Przegląd Krytyczny”, 4(2): 31-44, DOI 10.14746/pk.2022.4.2.3 .
- K. Górak-Sosnowska, L. Tomaszewska, Staying on guard for teaching excellence: Managing in-person education at Polish HEIs during COVID-19, “Kultura i Edukacja”, 2023.
- K. Górak-Sosnowska, L. Tomaszewska, Zajęcia zdalne w dobie pandemii, “Gazeta SGH”, 29.10.2021
- M.-B. Iovu, & A. Bărbuță (2022).. (2022). Research Competencies of Social Work Students during Remote Learning. “Revista Romanească Pentru Educație Multidimensională”, 14(1Sup1), 203-222. (WOS: 000773540300013O3)
- L. Kirss, P. Hunt, K. Karmen. (2022). Teaching social science research methods in an online setting: pointers from a literature review. “Przegląd krytyczny”, 4(2): 89–102.
- Numer specjalny czasopisma “Przegląd Krytyczny”, red. J. Dunajeva, nr 4(2), 2022.
Conferences:
- A. Bărbuță, M. Iovu, C. Faludi, A. Tobias, P. Hărăguș, S. Rusu. The International Students conference (BA, MA, PhD) in social sciences “Current issues in students research” (Local response to online teaching – Romania), 26–27 May 2022, Oradea (Romania)
- L. Daniela, H. Selcuk, Digitalization of Higher Education and Response to Covid-19 Pandemic in Latvia. 80th International Scientific Conference of the University of Latvia, Teacher Professionalism and Education for the Future, 17 February 2022, Riga, Latvia (Online presentation)
- J. Dunajeva, K. Górak-Sosnowska, Navigating Social Worlds in Central and East European context, paper presented during the Erasmus Scientific Days in Marrakech (Morocco), 17–18 October 2022 organized by the Erasmus National Office and Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech.
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- Managing spoiled identity - the case of Polish female converts to Islam.
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- Project title: Managing spoiled identity: the case of Polish female converts to Islam
- Funding: National Science Centre (OPUS) for years 2018-2021 (grant no. 2017/25/B/HS1/00286)
- PI: prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
Conversion to Islam is a process, which is quite often misunderstood and perceived in a negative way in Poland. It is mostly the case for female converts, who – by embracing a new religion – embrace also a set of cultural norms, including e.g. new dress code (hijab). For women, embracing Islam may result in acquiring three intertwined types of vulnerability (a religious one – as they have abandoned Catholicism; a cultural one – taking up specific religious norms, e.g. a dress code; a sociobiological one – they become available as potential wives only to Muslim men).
The resulting sense of exclusion is not psychologically neutral. While it might be a choice – i.e. an individual leaves her pervious life voluntarily, the exclusion often it seems to be a side effect of a decision to embrace Islam. The question therefore arises on how Polish converts to Islam manage their spoilt identity in relations with significant others: family, other Muslims (female converts and ‘cultural Muslims’), and non-Muslims. While the research is potentially difficult to conduct, as the success of research participants recruitment relies to a great extent o the networks of trust build up between the researchers and the converts, the team has already some practical experience in this regard. We plan to start with the desktop research on the relationships between identity and conversion, followed by fieldwork carried out in Poland and in other places where converts live.
The core of the project are semi-structured, in-depth interviews with female converts to Islam (around 20 in Poland and 20 outside, mostly in the UK). We are also planning to conduct interviews with ‘cultural Muslims’ and other Muslim stakeholders. Additionally, we will use the Personal Position Repertoires (PPR) method in order to gasp a full picture of strategies employed by Polish converts to Islam in their interactions with significant others. As for quantitative research, an online questionnaire is planned on a sample of around 100 respondents of female Polish converts to Islam from Poland and abroad. The questionnaire will be piloted with several converts from our own network of contacts before implementation.
The project would be innovative for two reasons. Firstly, it tackles the issue of female conversion to Islam from a new perspective – i.e. how they manage their identity in relations with significant others. Secondly, it would be the first comprehensive research on Polish converts to Islam published in English (one of the outcomes of the project will be a monograph in English, as well as several articles in English and Polish) and one of the few studies on Islam in Central and Eastern Europe available in English. We also hope that our project will disenchant the dominating negative stereotype related to conversion to Islam – we believe that also in this case the reality is much more complex, than popular believes.The Team:
- dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska, prof. SGH (PI)
- dr Beata Abdallah-Krzepkowska (UŚ),
- dr Joanna Krotofil (UJ),
- dr Anna Piela (Northeastern University, Boston MA)
Coollaboration:
- mgr Monika Ben Mrad (UJ)
- dr Michał Łyszczarz (UWM)
- mgr Sandra Pertek (University of Birmingham)
- mgr Ayishah Joanna Swiecinska
Administrative support: mgr Anna Senator
Project results
Printed:
- B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska, K. Górak-Sosnowska, J. Krotofil, A. Piela (2023). Managing Spoiled Identity. The Case of Polish Female Converts to Islam. Leiden: Brill, 264 s.
- M. Ben Mrad (2021), Social functioning of female reverts to Islam in Poland, “The Review of European Affairs”, 5(2), s. 43–53.
- K. Górak-Sosnowska, J. Krotofil, M. Łyszczarz (2022). Polish Female Converts to Islam and the Islamic Leadership in Poland, w: Muslims of Post-Communist Eurasia, G. Yemelianova & E. Račius (red.), London: Routledge, s. 282–301.
- J. Krotofil, K. Górak-Sosnowska, A. Piela, B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska (2022), Being Muslim, Polish, and at Home – Converts to Islam in Poland, “Journal of Contemporary Religion”, 37(3): 475–493, https://doi.org/10.1080/13537903.2022.2101714.
- J. Krotofil, K. Górak-Sosnowska, A. Piela, S. Iman Pertek & B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska (2022) Religious Conversion as a Dialogical Transformation of the Self – The Case of Polish Female Converts to Islam, “Journal of Constructivist Psychology,” DOI: 10.1080/10720537.2022.2095065
- J. Krotofil, A. Piela, K. Górak-Sosnowska, B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska (2021), Theorizing the Religious Habitus in the Context of Conversion to Islam among Polish Women of Catholic Background, “Sociology of Religion”, 82(3), Autumn, s. 257–280, https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srab002
- A. Piela, J. Krotofil (2022). White Habitus Among Polish White Female Converts to Islam. “Sociology of Religion”, srac021, https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srac021.
- A. Piela, J. Krotofil, K. Górak-Sosnowska, B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska, (2022). The Role of the Internet in the Formation of Muslim Subjectivity Among Polish Female Converts to Islam, Cyberorient, 16, s. 35–66, https://doi.org/10.1002/cyo2.24
- A. Piela, K. Górak-Sosnowska, B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska, The Need for Teaching Against Islamophobia, w: Islamic Studies in European Higher Education. Navigating Academic and Confessional Approaches, J. Nielsen, S. Jones (red.), Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press 2023.
- K. Górak-Sosnowska, M. Łyszczarz, B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska, When whiteness is not an asset. Racialisation strategies towards Polish converts to Islam, ” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies”, 2023.
Conferences:
- 1–2 grudnia 2022: X Międzynarodowa i Interdyscyplinarna Konferencja Naukowa. Język religijny dawniej i dziś w kontekście teologicznym i kulturowym. Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza, referat: „’Świat religijny nie wie co to puste słowa’. Strategie sakralizacji języka religijnego polskich konwertytek na islam” (B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska, K. Górak-Sosnowska, J. Krotofil, A. Piela)
- 27–28 kwietnia 2021: Navigating the non/confessional in university Islamic studies, referat: “The Need for Teaching Against Islamophobia in a Culturally Homogeneous Context: The Case of Poland” (A. Piela, K. Górak-Sosnowska, B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska)
- 10–11 marca 2021: Religious Transformation and Gender: Contestations in/and the Study of Religion, Gender and Sexuality, Utrecht University, referat: “‘In Islam, you talk about these things’: Studying Polish Islam through the lens of gender and sexuality as religious practice” (J. Krotofil, A. Piela)
- 25–29 czerwca 2019: 17th Annual Conference of the European Association for the Study of Religions (EASR), Tartu (Estonia), referat: “Coping with a double stigma. The case of Polish female converts to Islam” (K. Górak-Sosnowska, B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska, J. Krotofil, A. Piela)
- 17–20 listopada 2018: Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Denver (Colorado USA), referat: “Managing spoiled identity. The case of Polish female converts to Islam” (A. Piela)
- 26–28 listopada 2018: State responses to security threats and religious diversity, University of Pardubice, Praga, referat pt. “Polish Umma and its role in Polish society: An example of creating identity” (B. Abdallah-Krzepkowska)
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- Sensiclass: Tackling sensitive topics in a classroom
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- Project title: SensiClass: Tackling Sensitive Topics in the Classroom
- Participating universities: University of Tartu (project leader), SGH Warsaw School of Economics, University of Hradec Králové, Central European University.
- Project leader at SGH: Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
- Funding: Erasmus+ scheme ‘Strategic Partnership for Higher Education’ for 2020-2022
https://sisu.ut.ee/sensiclass/
During recent years, universities in the participant countries of this project, have set internationalisation goals, both to compensate declining populations (especially in Estonia and Hungary) as well as to stay competitive. Together with a wave of migration, which also affects these countries at different intensity, the four participating countries have faced a new demographic situation. Although the number of immigrants, whether foreign students or other, may be not significant, there are debates in the society about the immigration, on one hand, and on the other hand the universities have to adapt to a changing student profile. Issues can raise when there are students from different backgrounds in the classroom whose views may be conflicting between each other or with those expressed by the teacher. But even without a diverse classroom, certain topics can be controversial, like pay gap, political conflicts or ethnic issues.
The long-term objective is the development of meaningful courses for students who come from diverse backgrounds in terms of their geographical and cultural origins, as well as their primary education. The short-term objective is development of a high-impact pedagogical strategy to enrich classroom instructions and promote social change. This material will introduce both the nature of the sensitive issues like minorities or religion but most importantly, introduces different methods how to raise awareness, develop empathy and how to respond to controversial issues, how to handle offensive comments, how to create a safe space as prerequisite for inclusion.
The main output of the project will be a guidance material for university and general education teachers, which in most countries will be adapted into an e-course. There are going to be three MOOCs on Islam, gender issues and radicalisation. In addition to that, a methodological toolbox for teachers will be developed and several multiplier events are planned.
The project is funded through the Erasmus+ scheme ‘Strategic Partnership for Higher Education’ and led by the University of Tartu (Estonia) with partners from SGH Warsaw School of Economics, University of Hradec Králové (Czech Republic) and Central European University (Hungary).
The Team:
- prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska (koordynator)
- dr Urszula Markowska-Manista (Uniwersytet Warszawski)
- mgr Joanna Sozańska
- dr Agnieszka Syliwoniuk-Wapowska
- mgr Aleksandra Tołczyk
Outputs:
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Guidance material foruniversity and general education teachers on tackling sensitive topics in a classroom (U. Markowska-Manista, K. Górak-Sosnowska), 106 p.
ENGLISH
CzECH
ESTONIAN
POLISH -
A set of e-modules on sensitive topics in a classroom (total 14, incl. 9 by Polish authors):
Bioethics in Islam: dilemmas, perspectives, questions (M. Nowaczek-Walczak)
Confronting refugee-related stereotypes in the classroom (A. Tołczyk)
How to speak about “Others” who are a part of our class? Students from diverse cultural backgrounds in schools (U. Markowska-Manista)
How to teach about genocide in fragile contexts? Sensitive topics and our everyday life in times of migration crisis (U. Markowska-Manista)
Multiple identities of Muslims in Europe (K. Górak-Sosnowska)
Quick judgement vs reasoning. How does morality work? (K. Górak-Sosnowska)
The “absent present”: challenges of educating about Jews in Central and Eastern Europe (D. Zakrzewska-Olędzka)
The Muslim veil in Central and Eastern European perceptions: between Islamophobia and the politics of controlling female demeanour (J. Sozańska)
What does it mean to be “a true patriot”? Patriotism in public discourse (A. Syliwoniuk-Wapowska) -
two issues of “Society Register”
vol. 6, nr 1, red. K. Górak-Sosnowska, U. Markowska-Manista
vol. 6, nr 2, red. U. Markowska-Manista, K. Górak-Sosnowska -
an edited volume: Non-inclusive education in Central and Eastern Europe. Comparative Studies of Teaching Gender, Ethnicity and Gender, red. K. Górak-Sosnowska, U. Markowska-Manista, Bloomsbury Academic 2023
Link
- University administration towards academic excellence
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The project is actually titles “Invisible, ‘other than’, neccessary. University administration towards academic excellence”. The first part of the title might not make sense for an English speaker. The ‘other than’ refres to how HEI administration is referred to - namely, as HEI staff other than academics (pl. niebędący nauczycielami akademickimi). Thus, there are two categories of staff at HEI: academics and other than academics.
This project is managed by the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences of Nicolas Copernicus University in Toruń together with SGH Warsaw School of Economics and University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw within the farmework of the DIALOG programme of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The project consists of two components:
- a scientific one, which should provide konwledge on the roles of administrative staff at HEIs
- a traning one, which will transfer the knowledge into practice by provideing administrative staff with new skills and knowledge
The project is headed by Anna Mielczarek-Taica, who is the head of the Dean’s Office at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the Nicolaus Copernicus Univeristy in Toruń.
The team at SGH Warsaw School of Economics is responsible for task 8: Study visits / job shadowing
The aim of this taks is to raise both knowledge and skills of administrative staff (middle and upper level) at Polish HEI. The study visits will be organised in a similar manner to Staff Mobility Erasmus+. However, while Erasmus+ is meant internationally, our study visits will promote mobility within Poland - to a HEI located in another administrative district. During these visits the participants will be able to get to know the administrative unit, and wider HEI, learn how the work is organised and how the organisational culture looks like. Each participant will be asked to prepare a written report from the visit and participate in an anonymous survey online. There are going to be 40 participants - 2 calls x 20 participants. The details will be published on the Polish version of the website by early 2020.
The team responsible for this task inculde:
- prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska - task coordinator
- dr Renata Pajewska-Kwaśny
- mgr Irena Senator
The team will be supported by Stowarzyszenie Forum Dziekanatów (Student Services Employee Association)
Stowarzyszenie Forum Dziekanatów.
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- ref:EU | Muslim minorities and the refugee crisis in Europe
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- Title of the project: ref:EU | Muslim minorities and the refugee crisis in Europe
- Funding: Jean Monnet Project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union
- Team: prof. SGH dr hab. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska (coordinator), dr Jan Misiuna, dr Marta Pachocka, mgr Irena Senator
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The ref:EU project – “Muslim minorities and the refugee crisis in Europe” is an international project that combines academic and educational perspective carried out by the Middle East and Central Asia Unit and the Department of Political Studies of the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) within Jean Monnet Activities of the EU Programme Erasmus+.
The project is an answer to the growing intolerance against Muslim minorities (and those perceived as Muslim) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), fuelled by the refugee crisis in Europe. The EU member states from this region showed (to a varying degree) political reluctance to accept any refugees, despite often belonging to the top EU enthusiasts. Moreover, negative sentiments towards Muslims, as well as ethic and religious Others grew significantly stronger, leading to acts of violence. This is particularly disturbing as there are hardly any third country nationals, not to mention Muslims in those states. In other words, intolerance is widespread against people who are hardly even there.
The aims of the project are therefore as follows:- Providing teaching tools for counteracting and counterbalancing Islamophobia and any other “phobias” related to migrants/refugees/asylum seekers, and “distant Others” in the EU member states,
- Understand and explain the reasons for the current wave of Islamophobia and its relations with the European refugee crisis.
The outputs of the ref:EU project are centred around two core set of activities, each responding to one of the aims: a workshop (related to aim 1) and a scientific conference (related to aim 2). The detailed list of outputs is as follows.
- Aim 1:
- An intensive workshop for 20 young researchers, professionals and activists on Muslim minorities and Islamophobia with a focus on the CEE;
- At least 20 follow up activities, i.e. events organised by the workshop participants (1) in their home countries (in total 600 participants targeted);
- A project website with teaching units prepared by the workshop trainers (1) and workshop participants basing on their follow up activities (2) accessible online to be used by teachers or educators;
- Aim 2:
- An international conference about Muslim minorities and the refugee crisis in Europe for around 100 participants;
- An academic book published in English comprising papers from the conference and some other chapters on Muslim minorities and the refugee crisis in Europe;
- A series of 16 local events on Muslim minorities and the refugee crisis in Europe (in total 640 local participants targeted).
The project is planned for 24 months and will target over 1300 participants. The ref:EU team consists of scientists and professionals from Polish and foreign academic institutions with a wide range of profiles and research interests including: European studies, Islamic studies, media studies, migration studies and psychology. The team members work in the EU member states (Germany, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, UK), Russian Federation (Tatarstan) and Tunisia.
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