Abstract
Conversion (reversion) to Islam is on the rise in Aotearoa New Zealand. This is striking given New Zealanders are becoming less interested in religion generally and have more negative attitudes towards Muslims than towards other religious groups. Islam’s growth is disproportionally strong among Indigenous Māori. This study discusses how New Zealand’s post-2019 Christchurch attack security context has affected Māori and non-Māori women converts to Islam. The findings are based on 15 interviews conducted across the country between 2021 and 2024. Drawing from securitization and intersectionality scholarship, the study argues that the country’s post-Christchurch security context has created new challenges for women converts to Islam generally. Yet it has particularly increased the vulnerability of hijabi Māori women, whose attachment to New Zealand and the Māori community has often been called into question. The paper discusses what Islam means for women converts as a tool of resilience against marginalization and bias.
Presenters
Ayca ArkilicSenior Lecturer, Politics, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Civic, Political, and Community Studies
KEYWORDS
Securitization, Intersectionality, Muslims, Conversion, Indigenous, Women, Aotearoa New Zealand
