When whiteness is not an asset. Racialisation strategies towards Polish converts to Islam

Abstract

ABSTRACT Unlike Western European countries, in Poland, there are two groups of native Muslim citizens: the Tatars and converts to Islam. They differ from mainstream society by their religion – Islam, and the Tatars, additionally, by their ethnicity. However, one of these groups – Islam converts – is racialised by the other. We argue that the Polish Tatars can use the repertoire of both sides – non-Muslim mainstream society and born Muslims – in order to otherise and racialise Polish converts to Islam. As autochthonous Poles, whose membership in mainstream society has never been questioned, they can employ strategies used by non-Muslims. As born Muslims they can build on the wide range of strategies against Islam newcomers. Moreover, the racialisation of Polish converts seems to be a strategy that aims to maintain the boundaries between these two groups and the positive self-assessment of the Tatars. This article contributes to the scholarship on racialisation of white converts to Islam by bringing out the local context with unique dynamics and power relations between different groups of Muslims.