Is Hamtramck Still Polish? Examining the Rise of Bangladeshi Visibility and Political Participation in Hamtramck

Abstract

Hamtramck, known for its Polish, Catholic, working-class roots, has transmuted its Old World charm into a Small World appeal. With less than 7 percent of residents claiming Polish roots, how does the city's Polish history continue to provide an uninterrupted space for ethnic political participation? Hamtramck has become a port for more detailed explorations of the relationship between local governance and cultural self-determination and interrogations of the role of race, nationalism, citizenship, and belonging. This article explores the ascension of Bangladeshi visibility in a city experiencing tumultuous flux in population and culture. This article describes the Bangladeshi experience between the election of the first Polish female mayor in 2005 and the election of Hamtramck's first Muslim mayor in 2022 in terms of Bangladeshis’ political participation and how their contributions led to a renarrativization of the city.