The Responses of Religious Communities to Migration and the Transformation of a Quasi-Monopolistic Religious Market
The Responses of Religious Communities to Migration and the Transformation of a Quasi-Monopolistic Religious Market

Summary/Abstract: This article investigates links between religion and migration processes through a study of religious communities’ approaches towards migrants. Drawing from the religious economy perspective, the paper explores the under-researched topic of the role of migration in the dynamics of a religious field in the context of Central and Eastern Europe. The qualitative research performed in 2020 in Krakow—one of the key destinations for migrants in Poland—confirms the claims of religious economy that monopolists and quasi-monopolists are usually more reluctant to adapt to social changes. On the other hand, less-privileged but entrepreneurial religious communities are more aware of migrants’ situation, and respond to their needs in the following ways: 1) providing cosmopolitan “temporary homes”; (2) bridging cultures; (3) setting up ethno-cultural service hubs. We argue that these kinds of engagements have significant implications for the dynamics inside the religious market.

• Details
• Contents