Stuck with the stigma? How Muslim migrant women in the Netherlands deal – individually and collectively – with negative stereotypes

Abstract

This explorative study focuses on how first- and second-generation migrant women of Turkish and Moroccan descent in the Netherlands cope with increasing stigmatization – both individually and collectively. This study applies stigma coping responses identified in the psychological literature to qualitative interviews and focus group discussions with migrant women and migrant women’s organizations. The results help to uncover the dynamic changes of responses to stigmatization over time and detect differences between individual- and collective-level strategies. Furthermore, while most studies tend to omit the importance of intersecting social markers (e.g. gender and ethnicity) when it comes to dealing with stigmatization, this study explores how women’s coping strategies might be influenced by the intersection of their generational status, age, educational level, and ethno-nationality/cultural background. The findings have important implications for both stigmatization research and for Dutch policy makers.