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Participants during the GRFDT seminar on “Life-World in a Cross-Cultural Marriage”
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CONTENTS Editor’s Message
Editorial Information
©GRFDT. Roots and Routes is Printed,
designed & circulated by GRFDT
Editor: Sadananda Sahoo
Editorial Board: Jitendra D. Soni, Kshipra
Uke, Mahalingam M, Monika Bisht,
Panchanan Dalai, Ravinder Singh, Rakesh
Ranjan, Saroj K. Mahananda, Smita
Tiwari, Suraj Beri, Vinod Kr. Choudhary,
Vinod Sartape.
Design and Production: Monika Bisht
and Rakesh Ranjan
Email: editor@grfdt.com
Website: www.grfdt.org
GRFDT Activities
GRFDT Seminar on Life-World in a Cross
-Cultural Marriage by Dr. Renuka Singh
Diasporas in the New Media age: Identity,
Politics and Community
Abhay Chawla
Book Review
03
07
GRFDT Activities 2012-1312
Dear All,
GRFDT has completed a full year. During the year, we conducted a
series of seminars related to important themes on diaspora and
transnationalism. A total of twenty three papers were presented by
scholars, in which thirteen were from India and ten from abroad.
Wide ranging issues were covered that included diaspora policy,
gender, literature, culture and quite a few of them were compara-
tive studies, thus providing insights into many new areas and map-
ping a broader picture of diaspora/ transnationalism as well as
homeland/hostland engagement.
Though GRFDT has been a modest beginning at out end, it never-
theless enriches us with ideas and directions to march ahead and
reach, especially, to the younger research scholars. The overwhelm-
ing cooperation from students, scholars and researchers both with-
in and outside India has augmented our activities to be more inclu-
sive and global in nature. Besides the regular talks, we also receive
articles and news from our readers. The interview section covers
the views of many renowned scholars and young scholars.
The present issue carries coverage on a talk “Life-world in a Cross-
Cultural Marriage” by Dr. Renuka Singh where she explores the
nature, form, content and direction of the cross-cultural marriages
in a global world marked by large scale migration. The interview
with Prof. Yossomsakdi reveals how the mobility of educated peo-
ple has made many societies multicultural in different parts of our
globe. He also talks about the lives of the Indians living in Thai-
land. The article on “Southern Italy as a Nexus of Women’s Trans-
national Migration” by Laura E. Ruberto, explores how the migrat-
ed women negotiate in the transnational space.
The newsletter also features news, book review and information
related to seminar/conferences. Hope our effort to reach out to vari-
ous researchers during the last one year bears some results. Wish
your con-tinuous support for nurturing GRFDT!
Sadananda Sahoo
Interview
In the era of globalization, qualified and
educated people supported with realistic
perception and positive attitudes will en-
hance co-existence of peaceful multicultur-
al relations: Prof. Yossomsakdi
GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201302
05
Southern Italy as a Nexus of Women’s
Transnational Migration by Laura E.
Ruberto
Article
09
3
GRFDT Activities
GRFDT Seminar
International migration created profound impact on the
way human being live and interact. Unlike earlier
migration, where only working male were the main
constituents, the post liberalised migration witnessed
more number of women participation. The impact of
international migration felt in many areas including the
marriage.
Speaking at a seminar organised by Global Research
Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism (GRFDT) on 16
March 2013 on the topic “Life-World in Cross Cultural
Marriages”, Dr. Renuka Singh of Jawaharlal Nehru
University, New Delhi, India highlighted some interesting
development among cross cultural human relations. The
growing international migration not only opened
opportunities for cross cultural contacts, but also provided
opportunities to actualise these interactions in marriages.
Based on the case studies and interviews in North
America, Europe and India, she finds that the second and
third generation of Indian diaspora is increasingly opting
for cross-cultural marriages. She has also brought out the
lived experiences of some of these marriages which are
successful as well as unsuccessful. What makes these
marriages so attractive?
Dr. Singh finds some interesting answers. According to
her findings these marriages provide opportunity to have
their individual growth, especially in the professional
front. Some couple prefer to become international
identity or global citizens rather than national citizens
with narrow identity. For some these marriages also
provide opportunity to learn from each other thus
nurturing cross fertilisation of world views.
She finds that these marriages have also serious
challenges in many fronts. Most of these marriages do
not last longer. “About 50% of these cross cultural
marriages are failure in India”, she said. This failure
happens due to factors such as joint family and mother-in
-law syndrome which does not allow freedom to the
married couple. In a mixed marriage, some differences
are celebrated while some became a matter of
contention. These marriages also have impact on kids
when they grow up. These marriages often undergo
tough times as there is constant change of location, diet,
culture, which creates difficulties in adjustment to new
situation.
There are also legal and citizenship issues involved in
these cross-cultural marriages. Foreign wives used to
have legal problems related to the right to property in
India till recently. Now they can get People of Indian
Origin (PIO) card.
Cross-Cultural Marriages are on rise among Second and Third
Generation Indian Diaspora: Dr. Renuka Singh
GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 03
Dr,Renuka Singh
Dr. G Srinivas
4
GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201304
Another interesting observation in her study shows that
“Indian lady marrying westerner becomes more western-
er than the native western lady. Similar things happen to
the foreign lady marrying to Indian husband”. This phe-
nomenon arises due to insecurity, she mentioned.
The discussant Mr Abhay Chawla while giving his remark
on the talk by Dr Singh mentioned about the importance
of the institution of marriage in the Indian context. With
the advent of globalization and the new Indian traveller
due to livelihood and other reasons, the importance of
understanding cross-cultural marriages has increased.
He was of the opinion that the chances of such cross-
cultural marriages succeeding will depend on the “vision
regarding family” that the two individuals who decide to
enter into matrimony have. The vision will provide the
operative procedures to negotiate knotty issues regarding
culture especially raising children.
Answering questions of Dr. G. Srinivas, faculty of CSSS,
JNU on whether these marriages lead to family and how
many of them are successful? Dr. Singh mentioned that
cross-cultural marriages are not same as conventional
families. Some people could make it success and while
some could not. These marriages are non-traditional and
often by the rebels in their own culture. These marriages
are also preferred by the people who have ‘romantic/
exotic ideas’ about the partners’ culture. She also men-
tioned that these cross-cultural marriages work as
‘compensator ‘and increases their self-esteem in the own
culture as many of them don’t find partners of their
choice due to many reasons. Dr. Singh said though the
success rate is not so much; neutral territory has more
success as compared to the living in joint family.
“How many of these cross-cultural marriages are interreli-
gious?” Answering to the above question by Vasudha, a
student of CSSS, JNU, Dr. Singh said that most of these
marriages are interreligious. However, these marriages
does not cross the class boundaries, she said. Most of
these marriages are among lower to lower class. Interre-
ligious marriages have been often run through difficult
times as there is always misunderstanding in rituals, visit
to religious places and socialising kids.
Infertility is also a big issue in cross-cultural marriages.
Dr. Singh mentioned that “in most of these cases the
couple prefer to have adoption”. She predicted that the
Cross-cultural marriages will increase in the future due to
mobility of people and contact with new society. The best
thing about this is that the “new global kids” will create a
culture of cross-cultural marriages.
Participants During Seminar
Call for Application: Course on Researching the Contemporary
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
(CSDS), Delhi
The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
(CSDS) invites applications for its two-month Course on
‘Researching the Contemporary’. This cross-disciplinary
Course will critically examine the formation of the con-
temporary and its multiple histories, ideologies, forms
and affects. The three courses offered will enable partici-
pants to familiarize themselves with concepts, theories
and methods that help analyse the contemporary.
The Course will be conducted over 8 weeks between 1
July-31 August 2013. Applications are invited from M.Phil/
Ph.D students as well as independent researchers. As
part of your application please submit your C.V. and a
1000-word description of your research question/topic.
Deadline: 30 April 2013
Application may be sent to: teaching@csds.in
5
GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 05
GRFDT INTERVIEW
Indian communities in Thailand share a lot of cultural
similarities with the Thais. A lot of Thai cultural prac-
tices are Indian-related. The Indian-Thais never cause
any social, political or economic problems. They con-
tribute a lot to economic and commercial well-being for
Thailand, says Prof. Yossomsakdiin in an inter-
view with Vinod Kumar of GRFDT
Vinod Kumar (VK): One of the major challenges that the
humanities is facing in recent times is due to increasing
human mobility within and outside the national bounda-
ries. These movements often throws several challenges
that are social-economic and developmental in nature.
How do we cooperate as a human civilization?
Prof. Samrit Yossomsakdi (PSY): We have to accept the fact that in our real world, there are a variety of disparities
happened among localities, nations, sub-regions, regions, and continents. With the progress of globalization, many
changes have occurred in the world. Transfers of goods and services, currencies, information, and population are now
swiftly moving across borders of various countries .
VK: Thailand is a country much lauded for its peaceful multicultural relations. What social and cultural
reasons you give for Thailand’s tolerant and accommodative nature?
PSY: In the era of globalization, qualified and educated people supported with realistic perception and positive attitudes
will enhance co- existence of peaceful multicultural relations. Common and shared understandings of both local people
and foreign visitors are necessary. In Thailand, the motto the “Land of Smiles” is still true, which reflects the cultural
tolerance of the Thai people. Buddhism is also regarded as cultural heritage of most Thai people. They have been
taught to believe in Karma - actions and their consequences. Doing good deeds or actions is important in terms of
building good Karma, which leads to good results and vice versa. Nationalism is seldom used by political leaders to pro-
tect national interests against outsiders. Political struggles are conflicts among politicians from different factions without
relating to foreigners.
VK: Thailand being the neighbor of India attracts more number of Indians. Please tell us about “Indians in
Thailand” especially about Pahurat Road (Ban Kaek), where maximum Indians are residing. How does the
Indian diaspora relate with Thailand? What are the contributions of Indian diaspora to the Thailand?
PSY: In the past, human resettlements in Thai history could result from various reasons. Many multi-racial communities,
not only Indians, scattered around various parts of Thai soil. The Indian diaspora especially about Pahurat Road (Ban
Kaek) exists because of social and economic reasons. Of course, there is a group of elite in Indian communities. Indian
communities scattered around Pahurat and other parts of Bangkok, such as Soi Nana, fill up the gap of business and
commercial transactions between nations. Unbelievably, big business conglomeration with young Indian-Thai genera-
tion can be seen in Thai top business circle. Intermarriages between Indians and Indian Thais are still found in their own
cultural society. Indian communities in Thailand in fact share a lot of cultural similarities with the Thais. A lot of Thai
cultural practices are Indian-related. The Indian-Thais never cause any social, political or economic problems. They con-
tribute a lot to economic and commercial well-being for Thailand.
In the era of globalization, qualified and educated people supported with realistic
perception and positive attitudes will enhance co-existence of peaceful multicultural
relations: Prof. Yossomsakdi
6
GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201306
VK: Being an expert in the area of Law and political science, how do you think about the diaspora in to-
day’s globalised world? Does the national legal and political system get challenged while dealing with the
increasing size of diasporas?
PSY: Thailand is a unitary state. People who have been brought up in Thailand speak the same Thai language regard-
less of their races and no problem exists among Thai people who share same language and culture in different parts of
Thailand. Thai legal system does treat Thai citizens with foreign origins equally. Generally, there is no discrimination
against second-generation disaspora. There has not been any obvious opposition from the public against diaspora.
VK: It’s quite evident in the case of the most of the diasporas that the challenges often make them more
enterprising rather than failure in foreign soil. The new social network provides them better social capi-
tal for harnessing useful resources for entrepreneurship. This happened to most of the diasporas from
Asian countries as well as elsewhere. Can you please throw some light on these issues on how did the
ethnic entrepreneurship in Thailand flourish and how did the social network help them in this regards?
PSY: First, as mentioned above, there is no discrimination in Thailand against any disapora. They basically have all the
freedom to do their businesses. Secondly, there are always opportunities in Thailand as the country has been growing
economically. Thirdly, it is quite common for any diaspora to form social networks and business associations among
themselves. Again, in this respect, Thai legal system is quite open. Moreover, the disapora do receive good higher edu-
cation in Thai universities and abroad, which further enhance their business capabilities. At the same time, as globaliza-
tion grows, Thai and Indian people who had closer contacts. This helps open up more business opportunities between
the two countries. Furthermore, ASEAN market will be freely open for member nations at the end of the year 2015, in-
cluding five main areas: freely open for products without tax barriers, freely open for services, freely open skilled hu-
man resources and eight professional areas, freely open for capital investment, and freer flow of fund. This is a great
opportunity for them.
VK: You have been working on several issues and your academic contribution to the legal and political
studies are well known. Please let us know what are your current research?
PSY: I am going to start a new research project with my colleagues from Korea. The research topic is about Korean
business in ASEAN.
VK: Any Other issues you find useful?
PSY: This is my personal interest. However, it is interesting to conduct the research on “Indians, Thai Indians and its
heritages in Thailand.” If I can work together with Indian scholar to conduct the research with some sources of spon-
sorship, that will be great.
VK: Thank you Professor Samrit for sharing your insights on the diaspora issues. These ideas will defi-
nitely help in providing insight to scholars engaged in diaspora and migration research.
Prof. Samrit Yossomsakdi is a Faculty Member in Political Science and Law, Burapha University, Thailand. He did his
Ph.D. in Political Science at Northern Illinois University, U.S.A.,1999. He held several positions in the University i.e De-
partment Head, 1992, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, 1999-2001, Asso-
ciate Dean for Research and International Affairs, Faculty of, Humanities and Social Science, 2001-2002, President, Fac-
ulty Senate Council, 2002, Head, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, 2002-2007.
He has published wide range of research papers in issues related to higher education policies, governance.
Vinod Kumar is a Faculty member in Sociology, Department of Sociology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Email: vinodchoudhary09@gmail.com
7
GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 07
ARTICLE
Southern Italy as a Nexus of Women’s Transnational Migration
Contemporary Italian transnational migration has mainly
been studied in urban centers, and yet looking at migra-
tion in Italy’s Southern rural areas is particularly reveal-
ing. The dynamic between the image of a Southern Italy
that is economically depressed with a deep and continued
history of emigration and the image of a vibrant, stable
Italy that draws new immigrants is especially hard-felt in
rural parts of the South. Given that much of Southern
Italy remains economically and politically at a disad-
vantage in relation to Northern parts of the country, the
presence of new immigrants in the South and the visible
racism and xenophobia that comes with this presence is
striking—the riots spurred on by the clash between immi-
grants and “native” Italians in and around Rosarno
(Calabria) in 2010 are a case in point. My research teases
out this complexity through an analysis of contemporary
transnational migration of women within rural parts of the
region of Campania, in the landlocked hill towns of Alta
Irpinia (province of Avellino). (This research was funded
by a Fulbright Research Fellowship in 2006 and involved a
larger ethnographic project throughout Alta Irpinia from
which this is just a part.) I recognize that looking at the
culture and experiences of different kinds of inbound and
outbound migration helps uncover, for instance, ways in
which national identity gets created and sustained, and
how citizenship rights become tied to cultural appropria-
tion. This study’s emphasis on transnational migration,
including aspects of both the history of Italian emigration
and the contemporary phenomenon of immigration to
Italy, recognizes the South as a location for dynamic pro-
cesses of cultural identity, appropriation, and history, thus
countering traditional narratives of Southern Italy as stag-
nant and retrograde.
Migration as a Backdrop to the Landscape of Alta
Irpinia
The towns and villages of Alta Irpinia have witnessed an
ongoing decline in population due mainly to emigration.
Historically, Irpinia’s economy was agriculture-based, with
few industries, thus leaving the area with high rates of
unemployment, especially as industrialization hit Southern
Italy. The 1980 Irpinia Earthquake further impeded eco-
nomic growth and also spurred emigration. However,
more and more former Alta Irpinians retire (either perma-
nently or seasonally) in their native towns and villages
and become, in essence, returning emigrants. This elderly
age group, coupled with the changing demographics
throughout Italy that has resulted in more and more
younger generations living in urban centers, has led to a
rise in the need for elder care. This type of domestic la-
bor, as with other domestic labor sectors in Italy today, is
almost exclusively performed by immigrant women—in
Irpinia, mostly women from the Ukraine or Poland.
In fact, in great part due to this curious popula-
tion flux in the small towns and villages of Irpinia (its na-
tive population overall continues to decrease although its
retirement-age population slightly increases) new immi-
grants have increasingly moved to the area. Again and
again immigrant men and women I interviewed noted
their contentment with having found work in small towns
where there was less competition for service jobs and the
cost of living was lower than the cities; even though a
larger city might offer a better paying job, more cultural
networks, and social assistance for immigrants. Italian
National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) figures demon-
strate an increased presence of new immigrants, as do
the existence of weekly buses that go to and from the
former Soviet Union and elsewhere, the rise in multi-
cultural events in the towns, and recent publications from
the area.
Overlapping Dislocated Identities
In this study, I trace the migration stories of three wom-
en residing in Alta Irpinia: “Rosina,” a former emigrant to
Argentina, “Assunta,” a former emigrant to the United
States, and “Lubica,” an immigrant from the Ukraine. Jux-
taposing these stories illustrate how specific case histories
of women’s lived experiences highlight individuality within
a broadly shared global economic context. Oral histories
afford points of view and perspectives often obfuscated
by more standard narrative techniques. Scholarship on
returning emigrants have noted, for instance, a kind of
culture shock that sometimes comes with a move back to
Italy; my interest is in examining that fissure in specific
cases and in relation to a more intricate criss-crossing of
migratory paths to and from Italy. The bottom line for
this research is recognizing how the transnational aspects
of Italian migration help create critiques of the nation and
nation state. Considering women’s lived experiences
through their own voices provides, as I have written else-
where, “the possibility of a subaltern alternative to the
hegemonic culture of the nation-state,” by underscoring
marginalized subjectivities within dominant national idi-
oms (Ruberto, Gramsci, Migration, and the Representa-
tion of Women’s Work, 2007/2009).
Laura E. Ruberto, Berkeley City College
8
GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201308
Lubica who was living in Calitri when I interviewed her
but who is originally from the Ukraine, explains the nexus
of migration in a straight-forward but telling way:
We have many Italian acquaintances and friends, but
not real friends that you hang out with, have over for
parties, celebrations. Everyone has their families and
their own ways of doing things. If Italians come here,
and I serve them some Russian salad, they say, oh
yuck, mayonnaise. Then I feel bad that they haven’t
eaten and it ruins the party. It’s not a party if people
don’t eat your food and they don’t have an open
enough mind. We are more open. The only Italian we
are friends with who isn’t like that is an older gentle-
man, in his 60s, who is single. He lived in Holland for
40 years, and he understands, he says, he was like us.
Her anecdote reminds us of the ways in which everyday
interpersonal experiences lead to what we can consider a
“dislocated” identity (a phrase whose use I borrow from
the work of Rhacel Salazar Parreñas, Servants of Globali-
zation, 2001). This dislocation encompasses both the in-
stitutionalized and cultural ways migrants’ identities are
fractured but also the manner in which migrants negoti-
ate or even resist this fracturing. Indeed, this kind of re-
sistance is something apparent in the experiences of the
three women I focus on here. Consider Rosina, originally
from St. Angelo dei Lombardi, and a former emigrant to
Argentina:
[Mi considero tambien Argentina, si.] I still consider
myself Argentine, yes. Because I spent most of my life
there. Here I’m considered a foreigner and even there
I’m considered a foreigner, but I don’t, no, I don’t
consider myself one. Here, they treat me differently,
I’m considered poor, ignorant, but they’re the ones
who are ignorant. The people here are the ones who
have never been away.
Rosina’s negotiation of dislocation is apparent in the lin-
guistically charged way she clarifies her own subjectivity
and in the way she positions herself against others’ defi-
nitions of her status. Assunta, originally from Cairano but
who had returned from the United States, describes this
contested identity as a reflection of her own happiness:
I was not happy to return. I knew that I would no
longer be able to get used to living here because me,
I’m a person who likes to live and here it’s all about
dying.
For Assunta, Southern Italy supports a moribund past
rather than a vibrant future.
An International Popular Culture Through Oral
Stories
Together, the individual stories of Lubica, Rosina, and
Assunta are in line with other cultural expressions of be-
longing and not belonging associated with transnational
migration. The women’s stories I collected in Alta Irpinia
highlight themes of alienation, non-belonging, contradic-
tory class mobility, and sense of social exclusion. Noting
the similarities between the experiences of return mi-
grants and new immigrants within the same location sug-
gests a more hybrid sense of national identity and way of
recognizing the role of globalization within what is often
seen to be a nation-specific framework of migration.
All three women present a hybrid identity, informed by a
series of dislocations—from conflicting class mobility to
social alienation. And all three women recognize Italy’s
(especially Southern Italy’s) own rocky position within
global migration history as ways of explaining their own
emotions and responses; the macro, structural affects on
these women’s lived experiences. Put differently, it is pre-
cisely because they are women (who for the most part
are in Italy performing gender-specific jobs), that their
oral stories and their lived experiences underscore the
kinds of contradictions inherent in Italy’s culture and his-
tory of migration. The public negotiation of identity im-
posed on women migrants due to social pressures and
physical practicalities creates particular layers of disloca-
tions. From such dislocations we might arrive at what I
call an “international popular culture,” where the women’s
oral histories “by demonstrating a complex idea of cultur-
al identity,” create a counter-hegemony:
we can imagine how the women’s diverse histories and
experiences…might point to the transformative poten-
tial the women have on their work and living environ-
ments. (Ruberto, Gramsci, Migration, and the Repre-
sentation of Women’s Work, 2007/2009)
These three oral stories seek to remind us that transna-
tional migration experiences inform how individuals think
about their own identities, how they negotiate relation-
ships with others, and how they negotiate their own
sense of whatever temporary or long-term space they
might call home. These negotiations are not dream-like
but instead are visible on women’s faces and in the words
they use to talk about their lives.
Laura E. Ruberto, Humanities Professor, Berkeley City
College; author of Gramsci, Migration, and the Represen-
tation of Women at Work and co-editor of Italian Neore-
alism and Global Cinema. Her research interests include
cultural theories of transnational migration, Italian Ameri-
can culture (gender, media, material culture, and the
West), Italian transnational migration, and Italian cine-
ma. http://www.berkeleycitycollege.edu/wp/lruberto/
For a complete version of this paper, see “Always Italian, Still Foreign:
Connecting Women’s Lives Through Transnational Migration,” La Ques-
tione Meridionale, Num. 2, Feb. 2011, 77-97.
We invite Students, Researchers and Faculty Members to submit Stories, Reviews, Articles, Working papers and other academ-
ic notes to the editor. It will provide the scholars a platform to connect with peer groups working on themes related to Diaspo-
ra and Transnationalism. Information related to seminar/conferences/events can be sent to the Editor at: editor@grfdt.com
9
09GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 09
Diasporas in the New Media age: Identity, Politics
and Community, Andoni Alonso and Pedro J. Oiar-
zabal(ed.), University of Nevada Press, Reno, Ne-
vada, 2010, ISBN 978-0-87417-815-9
If Facebook were a country, it would be the third most
populous. On the Internet, there are multiple digital social
networks like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. The study
of social networks can be traced back to the eighteenth-
century Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler who solved
the famous Königsberg bridge problem (i.e., how to cross
the city’s seven bridges and get back to the starting point
without crossing any one bridge more than once). With
the new media age upon us social networks are heavily
relied upon by citizens and diasporas for messaging and
activism.
This book, with 18 multidisciplinary essays divided into
two parts, tells the reader how the Internet and the digi-
tal social media are being used by diasporas to redefine
identity, politics and community.
Even though historically there has been a close link be-
tween technology and migration, i.e. technology advance-
ments in communication and transport resulted in in-
crease of population movements, Internet has taken it to
a new level allowing people to look at places they wish to
migrate before the actual travel, and have a ready link
back to their homelands. In “Migration, IT and Interna-
tional Policy”, Jennifer M Brinkenhoff argues that digital
diaspora has become a vehicle for disseminating infor-
mation and advice to newly arrived migrants, hence it
acts as a tool for soft assimilation into the host society as
they combat marginalization, provide solidarity and facili-
tate access to public goods and services. As the Internet
has become a tool for mobilizing collective identity of the
diasporas into action by facilitating issue framing and
confidence building, digital diaspora has policy implica-
tions for the host and homeland governments as well as
international development policy makers and analysts.
Michel S Languerre goes further in Digital Diasporas
(definitions and Models)” by bringing out the interplay
between information technology and diaspora, and then
constructs models of digital diaspora explaining the build-
ing blocks required for digital diaspora to emerge. Adela
Ros in his essay “Interconnected immigrants in the infor-
mation society” critically analyses interconnections in im-
migration and interrelationship between integration and
elements that are transforming our way of life in an infor-
mation society. He concludes that, in such a society, the
need to remain in contact makes people buy mobiles
even when they don’t have food to eat.
Andoni Alonso amd Inaki Arzoz in their essay “An activist
common for people without states by cybergolem” argue
that cybergolem has become something more than collec-
tive authorship; it has become an entity that changes,
acquires different forms and tries to re-elaborate the idea
of authorship in each work. The author gives the example
of Basque shepherds who used to carve with knives, mes-
sages, slogans and drawings onto the white bark of pop-
lars trees showing their condition, their dreams and their
nostalgia for their homeland. Internet has evolved as an
electronic forest for communication.
Part two of the book has dialogues across cyberspace,
with essays on the African, Eritrean, Jamaican, Salvado-
rean, Indian, Chinese, Arab, Uyghur, Galician and Basque
diaspora. With internet making possible new kinds of
communicative spaces and practices, the essay
“Nationalist Networks, The Eritrean diaspora online” by
Vistoria Bernal talks about the Eritrea online as a kind of
virtual Eritrea and serving as a nationalist space on cyber-
world. The Eritrean diaspora having created a web based
public space for debating national issues like the formula-
tion of Eritrean constitution.
Even when Maffesoli considers relationships on virtual
networks as being characterized by banality, superficiality
and fragmentation, Javier Bustamante in his essay
“Tidelike diasporas in Brazil, From slavery to Orkut” feels
social media like Orkut and other diasporan websites al-
low for creating of totems around which people can as-
semble . He goes on to add that this factor is extremely
important in order to keep a cohesive and collective iden-
tity, and that this identity is based on the search for and
supply of support. Pedro Joiarzabal argues some of most
potent and durable aspects of nationalism are national
symbols, customs and ceremonies. These evoke an in-
stant emotional response from all strata of the communi-
ty especially the diaspora, since symbols are their last
vestiges of ethnic identity. He substantiates this argu-
ment with the example of online re-creating of Grenika
by 16 Basque diaspora associations. Grenika incidentally
was destroyed by bombings of Nazi Germany in 1937
and is subsequently used as an identity marker defining
Basqueness.
Giving a counterpoint in her easy “The Internet and new
Chinese migrants”, Brenda Chan feels that we cannot
assume that internet will always be a powerful and effec-
tive medium in mobilizing migrants into collective action.
She quotes Cass Sunstein that “Internet supports the de-
velopment of deliberative enclaves and becomes the
breeding ground for group polarization and extremism”.
Diasporas in the new media age is about theoretical stud-
ies and examples of the ways diaspora today is using
technology to construct and represent notions
Book Review
10
of identity, nation and homeland, that is leading to the
concept of digital transnationalism and long distance or
internet nationalism. The digital diaspora are also pro-
cesses of deterritorializing through which one latter terri-
torializes a new locus of that displaced through virtual
networks.
Some chapters while well written and internally cohesive
somehow repeat the argument made in other chapters.
For example the chapters on “The Internet and new Chi-
nese migrants” by Brenda Chan and “Migration of Chinese
professionals and the development of the Chinese ICT
industry” by Yu Zhou could have been combined under
overall Chinese migration with a section for those migrat-
ing to south-east Asia and those migrating to the west.
An overall tighter editing would make the book a better
read.
With issues, debates and discourses in the field of digital
diaspora and migration the present volume is of value to
students and scholars of understanding the interplay be-
tween technology and diaspora studies. It will also be
useful to students of international relations especially with
the mobility as the new mantra in migration studies.
Abhay Chawla is a journalist and a visiting
faculty in CIC, Delhi University. He teaches
online journalism and his Ph.D topic is
―"Marginalizations and consumption of new
media".
Email:drabhaychawla@gmail.com
Twitter: gurgaonharyana
GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201310
Can developing countries learn from Obama’s Immigration Policy?
"Real reform means fixing the legal immigration system
to cut waiting periods, reduce bureaucracy and attract
the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers that will
help create jobs and grow our economy," Obama said.
This should be a wake up call for the planners of the de-
veloping countries. Though this is happening in practice
always, there is intensive planning to attract selective
group of skilled and entrepreneurial folk since last two
decades.
The bureaucracies in the developing countries are the
worst enemy of any progressive policies so far. Bureau-
cracy work best as more barriers than facilitator. Most of
the time, the decisions are taken and executed without
any systematic planning and understanding. This is the
case with migration. The bureaucracy created problem in
creating conducive environment for economic
The great African Saga: Exhibition of African Diaspora
GLOBAL UPDATE
Though the epic odyssey remains little known, African
diaspora is a global phenomenon today spreading across
different countries. They are often known as Kaffir, Siddi,
Habshi, or Zanji is different parts of Indian subcontinent.
They work in very diverse occupation such as
soldiers, servants, sailors, merchants, mystics, musicians,
commanders and nurses etc. They have been adapted to
the local cultures wherever they have settled. The African
diaspora in Asia have contributed and added more diver-
sity to the local cultures.
The African diaspora is a story replete with fascinating
stories of struggles which they exhibited in their host so-
cieties. These Africans were brought into the Indian sub-
continent through the ports of Baluchistan and Sindh,
where they worked as dockworkers, horse-keepers, do-
mestic servants, agricultural workers, nurses, palanquin
carriers and apprentices to blacksmiths and carpenters.
Naturally, most of them settled in Pakistan as compared
to other parts of the Indian subcontinent. Most of them
settled in "Mombasa Street" and "Sheedi Village" in Kara-
chi. In India they are mostly called as Siddis as well as
Hobshi settled mostly in Hyderabad (Habshiguda), Guaja-
rat, Bengal, Goa. In Gujarat they have raisen up to the
ruler which is a remarkable feat as compared to the Afri-
can in other parts of Asia.
They are also spread across Matota in Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
and Maldives. During the 14th century, when the Moroc-
can traveller Ibn Battuta was at Colombo, he noted "the
wazir and ruler of the sea," Jalasti, had "about 500 Abys-
sinians" serving in his garrison.
The Africans diaspora in Asia have speaks local lan-
guages. They are part of Indian society and guaranteed
constitutional rights like other citizens. Some of them are
given reservation as Schedule castes and Tribes. They
have been assimilated into the dominant religions in the
Asia i.e Hindu, Islam and Christian. But still there are
traces of linguistic and other identities markers which one
can easily identify while interacting with them. There are
few exhibitions on the African diaspora in the past. The
forthcoming exhibition at New York Public Library during
July 2013 is a great initiative to showcase the history of
African Diaspora.
http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africansindianocean/
images.php will provide more details of the exhibitions.
http://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/africans-india-
slaves-generals-and-rulers#.UUhh0qeXPGY.facebook
11
GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 11
engagement of the skilled and entrepreneurial communi-
ties. This is still happening even after several countries
liberalized their economy. Managing migration is the big-
gest challenge for everybody today and there is a greater
need for bureaucratic reform. Though migration is a glob-
al issue today, certain countries have realized the poten-
tial of migrant people, though they facilitate selective mi-
gration.
Brain drain is still a very serious issue that is affecting
many countries across the world working as a slow poi-
son. This is further aggravated by the policies of the de-
veloped countries that have been very selective in select-
ing whom to receive and whom to reject. In the process
the high skilled and entrepreneurial folk migrate to the
developed countries leaving the skilled and semiskilled
back home creating a very dangerous situation of unem-
ployment and underemployment. This fuel the migration
cycle further as the most sought after entrepreneurial
create jobs abroad. Now the developing countries must
realize that they have huge potential which needs proper
management. The loss of entrepreneurial skills a great
loss that any country can afford!
Diaspora is getting higher profile in International Relations: Pinak Chakravarty
Indian diaspora has become of one the important factors
in India’s foreign policy since 1990s, said Mr. Pinak R.
Chakravarty, Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs,
Government of India. Speaking at an International con-
ference at India International Centre, New Delhi which
jointly organised by the Organisations for Diaspora Initia-
tives, School of International Studies, JNU and India In-
ternational Centre on “India and Its Diaspora: A Compar-
ative Perspective” during 29-30 March 2013, Mr
Chakravarty elaborated the context in which Indian dias-
pora came in to prominence. He said that India has been
looking outward since liberalisation in which Foreign Di-
rect Investment is one of the most important compo-
nents. In 1970s the FDI was hardly 3 % and now the
share has gone up to 30 %. Diaspora is one of the key
players in the FDI too. Similar is the case of remittances.
India is the largest receiver of remittance in the world
today. Thus, Indian diaspora’s prosperity is one of the
attractions for mutual engagement which was realised in
1990s.
Mr. Chakravarty mentioned that “Indian diaspora reflects
the socio-economic and cultural diversities of India”. They
are spread out in 136 countries across the globe. The
foreign policies with these countries have no one size di-
plomacy rather each countries needs different ways to
engage depending upon the socio-cultural and political
and economic scenario. Indian government have made
various efforts to engage diaspora on regular basis.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) and a host of policies are
some of the initiatives since last one decade to reach out
to the diaspora. Some of the state governments such as
Punjab and Kerala which have large number of diaspora
abroad also have special policy measures to reach out to
the diaspora.
“One of the problems of the Indian diaspora is the lack of
political mobilisation in its early days in their host coun-
tries”, said Mr. Chakravarty. The Ugandan and Fiji crisis
were due to the lack of successful political mobilisation of
the Indian diaspora, which resulted in large-scale damage
and exodus of People of Indian origin. However, over the
years the Indian diaspora is learning lessons and tries to
mobilise better.
Mr. Chakravarty also mentioned that the Indian engage-
ment with diaspora often misunderstood by the host
countries as they perceive this as the external loyalty of
their citizens. However, these misconceptions are slowly
getting eroded due to the changes in the global level as
each country now having their own diaspora. The con-
nectivity and network has made people relate in an un-
precedented way which is experienced everywhere across
the globe.
Finally, Mr. Chakravarty also mentioned that diaspora is
getting higher profile in International Relations. In this
context the role of academicians are very important. “It is
not possible for Ministry to have wide range of inputs on
its own and hence it time for building synergy between
academics and policy and to develop a peer group for
better understanding and engagement with the diaspora”
he emphasised.
We invite Students, Researchers and Faculty Members to submit a small write up of their achievements and awards to the
editor. It will provide the scholars a platform to connect with peer groups working on themes related to Diaspora and
Transnationalism. Information related to seminar/conferences/events can be sent to the Editor at: editor@grfdt.com
Note: The list of information about Conferences/Seminars/Call for Papers in this newsletter are compiled from the web-
sources and researchers are requested to contact the organizers and cross check the details before sending the abstract/
paper and most importantly before registering.
12
GRFDT Activities Papers/Talks During past one Year (April 2012-March2013)
1. “Life-World in a Cross-Cultural Marriage” by Dr.
Renuka Singh, CSSS, Jawaharlal Nehru Universi-
ty, New Delhi, 16 March 2013
2. “From Remittances to Migrant Money: Two-way
flows between Australia and India” by Prof. Su-
priya Singh, RMIT University, Melbourne, Austral-
ia, 24 February 2013.
3. “The Toxic Narration: Italian policies on Immigration
in the last 20 years” by Anadi Mishra, PhD candidate
at University "La Sapienza" of Rome in Culture and
Civilization of Asia and Africa, 19 January 2013 at JNU
4. “Dalit Diaspora in Britain” by Dr. Meena Dhanda,
Reader in Philosophy and Cultural Politics, University
of Wolverhampton, Chaired by Dr.Vivek Kumar on Jan-
uary 13, 2013 at JNU
5. “(Re)Framing the Nation: Chinese and Indian Diaspora
Policies in Historical Perspective” by Dr. Els van
Dongen, Nanyang Technological university, Singapore,
on Dec 22, 2012 at JNU.
6. “Overseas Citizenship and Nationality: Study of Turkey
and India” by Ms. Hande Unsal, Ankara Law School,
Turkey, 10 November 2012 at JNU
7. Film-screening titled “Asa Nu Mann Watan Da” on
22nd
September, 2012
8. "Elder Abuse Among Indian Diaspora in USA: Issues
and Problems" By Prof. P.K. Mishra, 18 August 2012,
JNU
9. “The Globalization of Hindutva-A Study into the emer-
gence of e- Hindutva” by Dr. Ingrid Therwath of the
Centre de Sciences Humaine, New Delhi on
30th
July 2012
10. “Gender and Diaspora: A Study of Amitav
Ghosh’s Sea of Poppies and River of Smoke” by
Dr. Nandini C. Sen is an Associate Professor,
Cluster Innovation Cen-tre, University of Delhi
on 27th
October, 2012 at Room No. 13, CSSS II,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Indian Diaspora: Emerging Issues and Challenges,
25th
June 2012.
11. Introduction to the Indian Diaspora- Prof. P.C. Jain,
SIS, Jawaharlal Nehru University
12. “Hindu Nationalism, Identity and Marginalization in
Indian Diasporic Literature in the US” by Kshipra Kam-
lesh Uke, Centre for American Studies (SIS), Jawahar-
lal Nehru University, 25th
June 2012
13. “Indian Diaspora in India’s Look East policy” by Dr.
Amit Singh, Associate Fellow at the National Maritime
Foundation, New Delhi, 25th
June 2012
14. “Giving back to India; Investment opportunities and
Challenges” by Dr Anjali Sahay, Department of Politi-
cal, Legal and International Studies, Gannon University
Pennsylvania, U.S.A, 25th
June 2012
Indian Diaspora: Policy and Advocacy, 7 April,
2012
15. "Engaging the Indian Diaspora" by Dr. A. Didar Singh,
Former Secretary, MOIA, 12 May 2012
16. "India’s Diasora Policy 1999-2008: Evolution, Objec-
tives and Principles" by Dr. Smita Tiwari, JNU, 12 May
2012
17. "Public Policy and Advocacy: Understanding Indian
Diaspora Advocacy" by Kamala Kanta Dash, Monash
University, Australia, 12 May 2012
18. India's Diaspora Policy: Evolution, Challenges and Pro-
spects‛ by Shri J.C Shamra, Former Member Secretary,
High Level Committee on Indian Diaspora, April 21,
2012 at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
Indian Diaspora: Mobility and Identity, 7 April,
2012
19. “Failure of Cultural coincidence and Closure of devel-
opment horizons: Narrating the case of Return Emi-
grants among Mappila Muslims of Kerala” by Muneer
Illath
20. "Tamil Diaspora: A Case Study of Contempo-
rary Mobilization in Malaysia", by Dr M. Mahalingam
21. “Forms of Reproduction and Subversion of Caste Rela-
tions: Dalits within the Indian Diaspora" by Vinod
Sartape Ashok
22. “Understanding Diaspora as a Social Process: The
Conceptual Scheme”- by Mr. Shivam
23. "Labour migration to West Asia from Sikar, Churu and
Jhunjhunu Districts: Problems and Prospects" by Jee-
tendra D. Soni

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Roots and Routes

  • 1. Participants during the GRFDT seminar on “Life-World in a Cross-Cultural Marriage”
  • 2. 2 CONTENTS Editor’s Message Editorial Information ©GRFDT. Roots and Routes is Printed, designed & circulated by GRFDT Editor: Sadananda Sahoo Editorial Board: Jitendra D. Soni, Kshipra Uke, Mahalingam M, Monika Bisht, Panchanan Dalai, Ravinder Singh, Rakesh Ranjan, Saroj K. Mahananda, Smita Tiwari, Suraj Beri, Vinod Kr. Choudhary, Vinod Sartape. Design and Production: Monika Bisht and Rakesh Ranjan Email: editor@grfdt.com Website: www.grfdt.org GRFDT Activities GRFDT Seminar on Life-World in a Cross -Cultural Marriage by Dr. Renuka Singh Diasporas in the New Media age: Identity, Politics and Community Abhay Chawla Book Review 03 07 GRFDT Activities 2012-1312 Dear All, GRFDT has completed a full year. During the year, we conducted a series of seminars related to important themes on diaspora and transnationalism. A total of twenty three papers were presented by scholars, in which thirteen were from India and ten from abroad. Wide ranging issues were covered that included diaspora policy, gender, literature, culture and quite a few of them were compara- tive studies, thus providing insights into many new areas and map- ping a broader picture of diaspora/ transnationalism as well as homeland/hostland engagement. Though GRFDT has been a modest beginning at out end, it never- theless enriches us with ideas and directions to march ahead and reach, especially, to the younger research scholars. The overwhelm- ing cooperation from students, scholars and researchers both with- in and outside India has augmented our activities to be more inclu- sive and global in nature. Besides the regular talks, we also receive articles and news from our readers. The interview section covers the views of many renowned scholars and young scholars. The present issue carries coverage on a talk “Life-world in a Cross- Cultural Marriage” by Dr. Renuka Singh where she explores the nature, form, content and direction of the cross-cultural marriages in a global world marked by large scale migration. The interview with Prof. Yossomsakdi reveals how the mobility of educated peo- ple has made many societies multicultural in different parts of our globe. He also talks about the lives of the Indians living in Thai- land. The article on “Southern Italy as a Nexus of Women’s Trans- national Migration” by Laura E. Ruberto, explores how the migrat- ed women negotiate in the transnational space. The newsletter also features news, book review and information related to seminar/conferences. Hope our effort to reach out to vari- ous researchers during the last one year bears some results. Wish your con-tinuous support for nurturing GRFDT! Sadananda Sahoo Interview In the era of globalization, qualified and educated people supported with realistic perception and positive attitudes will en- hance co-existence of peaceful multicultur- al relations: Prof. Yossomsakdi GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201302 05 Southern Italy as a Nexus of Women’s Transnational Migration by Laura E. Ruberto Article 09
  • 3. 3 GRFDT Activities GRFDT Seminar International migration created profound impact on the way human being live and interact. Unlike earlier migration, where only working male were the main constituents, the post liberalised migration witnessed more number of women participation. The impact of international migration felt in many areas including the marriage. Speaking at a seminar organised by Global Research Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism (GRFDT) on 16 March 2013 on the topic “Life-World in Cross Cultural Marriages”, Dr. Renuka Singh of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India highlighted some interesting development among cross cultural human relations. The growing international migration not only opened opportunities for cross cultural contacts, but also provided opportunities to actualise these interactions in marriages. Based on the case studies and interviews in North America, Europe and India, she finds that the second and third generation of Indian diaspora is increasingly opting for cross-cultural marriages. She has also brought out the lived experiences of some of these marriages which are successful as well as unsuccessful. What makes these marriages so attractive? Dr. Singh finds some interesting answers. According to her findings these marriages provide opportunity to have their individual growth, especially in the professional front. Some couple prefer to become international identity or global citizens rather than national citizens with narrow identity. For some these marriages also provide opportunity to learn from each other thus nurturing cross fertilisation of world views. She finds that these marriages have also serious challenges in many fronts. Most of these marriages do not last longer. “About 50% of these cross cultural marriages are failure in India”, she said. This failure happens due to factors such as joint family and mother-in -law syndrome which does not allow freedom to the married couple. In a mixed marriage, some differences are celebrated while some became a matter of contention. These marriages also have impact on kids when they grow up. These marriages often undergo tough times as there is constant change of location, diet, culture, which creates difficulties in adjustment to new situation. There are also legal and citizenship issues involved in these cross-cultural marriages. Foreign wives used to have legal problems related to the right to property in India till recently. Now they can get People of Indian Origin (PIO) card. Cross-Cultural Marriages are on rise among Second and Third Generation Indian Diaspora: Dr. Renuka Singh GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 03 Dr,Renuka Singh Dr. G Srinivas
  • 4. 4 GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201304 Another interesting observation in her study shows that “Indian lady marrying westerner becomes more western- er than the native western lady. Similar things happen to the foreign lady marrying to Indian husband”. This phe- nomenon arises due to insecurity, she mentioned. The discussant Mr Abhay Chawla while giving his remark on the talk by Dr Singh mentioned about the importance of the institution of marriage in the Indian context. With the advent of globalization and the new Indian traveller due to livelihood and other reasons, the importance of understanding cross-cultural marriages has increased. He was of the opinion that the chances of such cross- cultural marriages succeeding will depend on the “vision regarding family” that the two individuals who decide to enter into matrimony have. The vision will provide the operative procedures to negotiate knotty issues regarding culture especially raising children. Answering questions of Dr. G. Srinivas, faculty of CSSS, JNU on whether these marriages lead to family and how many of them are successful? Dr. Singh mentioned that cross-cultural marriages are not same as conventional families. Some people could make it success and while some could not. These marriages are non-traditional and often by the rebels in their own culture. These marriages are also preferred by the people who have ‘romantic/ exotic ideas’ about the partners’ culture. She also men- tioned that these cross-cultural marriages work as ‘compensator ‘and increases their self-esteem in the own culture as many of them don’t find partners of their choice due to many reasons. Dr. Singh said though the success rate is not so much; neutral territory has more success as compared to the living in joint family. “How many of these cross-cultural marriages are interreli- gious?” Answering to the above question by Vasudha, a student of CSSS, JNU, Dr. Singh said that most of these marriages are interreligious. However, these marriages does not cross the class boundaries, she said. Most of these marriages are among lower to lower class. Interre- ligious marriages have been often run through difficult times as there is always misunderstanding in rituals, visit to religious places and socialising kids. Infertility is also a big issue in cross-cultural marriages. Dr. Singh mentioned that “in most of these cases the couple prefer to have adoption”. She predicted that the Cross-cultural marriages will increase in the future due to mobility of people and contact with new society. The best thing about this is that the “new global kids” will create a culture of cross-cultural marriages. Participants During Seminar Call for Application: Course on Researching the Contemporary Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) invites applications for its two-month Course on ‘Researching the Contemporary’. This cross-disciplinary Course will critically examine the formation of the con- temporary and its multiple histories, ideologies, forms and affects. The three courses offered will enable partici- pants to familiarize themselves with concepts, theories and methods that help analyse the contemporary. The Course will be conducted over 8 weeks between 1 July-31 August 2013. Applications are invited from M.Phil/ Ph.D students as well as independent researchers. As part of your application please submit your C.V. and a 1000-word description of your research question/topic. Deadline: 30 April 2013 Application may be sent to: teaching@csds.in
  • 5. 5 GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 05 GRFDT INTERVIEW Indian communities in Thailand share a lot of cultural similarities with the Thais. A lot of Thai cultural prac- tices are Indian-related. The Indian-Thais never cause any social, political or economic problems. They con- tribute a lot to economic and commercial well-being for Thailand, says Prof. Yossomsakdiin in an inter- view with Vinod Kumar of GRFDT Vinod Kumar (VK): One of the major challenges that the humanities is facing in recent times is due to increasing human mobility within and outside the national bounda- ries. These movements often throws several challenges that are social-economic and developmental in nature. How do we cooperate as a human civilization? Prof. Samrit Yossomsakdi (PSY): We have to accept the fact that in our real world, there are a variety of disparities happened among localities, nations, sub-regions, regions, and continents. With the progress of globalization, many changes have occurred in the world. Transfers of goods and services, currencies, information, and population are now swiftly moving across borders of various countries . VK: Thailand is a country much lauded for its peaceful multicultural relations. What social and cultural reasons you give for Thailand’s tolerant and accommodative nature? PSY: In the era of globalization, qualified and educated people supported with realistic perception and positive attitudes will enhance co- existence of peaceful multicultural relations. Common and shared understandings of both local people and foreign visitors are necessary. In Thailand, the motto the “Land of Smiles” is still true, which reflects the cultural tolerance of the Thai people. Buddhism is also regarded as cultural heritage of most Thai people. They have been taught to believe in Karma - actions and their consequences. Doing good deeds or actions is important in terms of building good Karma, which leads to good results and vice versa. Nationalism is seldom used by political leaders to pro- tect national interests against outsiders. Political struggles are conflicts among politicians from different factions without relating to foreigners. VK: Thailand being the neighbor of India attracts more number of Indians. Please tell us about “Indians in Thailand” especially about Pahurat Road (Ban Kaek), where maximum Indians are residing. How does the Indian diaspora relate with Thailand? What are the contributions of Indian diaspora to the Thailand? PSY: In the past, human resettlements in Thai history could result from various reasons. Many multi-racial communities, not only Indians, scattered around various parts of Thai soil. The Indian diaspora especially about Pahurat Road (Ban Kaek) exists because of social and economic reasons. Of course, there is a group of elite in Indian communities. Indian communities scattered around Pahurat and other parts of Bangkok, such as Soi Nana, fill up the gap of business and commercial transactions between nations. Unbelievably, big business conglomeration with young Indian-Thai genera- tion can be seen in Thai top business circle. Intermarriages between Indians and Indian Thais are still found in their own cultural society. Indian communities in Thailand in fact share a lot of cultural similarities with the Thais. A lot of Thai cultural practices are Indian-related. The Indian-Thais never cause any social, political or economic problems. They con- tribute a lot to economic and commercial well-being for Thailand. In the era of globalization, qualified and educated people supported with realistic perception and positive attitudes will enhance co-existence of peaceful multicultural relations: Prof. Yossomsakdi
  • 6. 6 GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201306 VK: Being an expert in the area of Law and political science, how do you think about the diaspora in to- day’s globalised world? Does the national legal and political system get challenged while dealing with the increasing size of diasporas? PSY: Thailand is a unitary state. People who have been brought up in Thailand speak the same Thai language regard- less of their races and no problem exists among Thai people who share same language and culture in different parts of Thailand. Thai legal system does treat Thai citizens with foreign origins equally. Generally, there is no discrimination against second-generation disaspora. There has not been any obvious opposition from the public against diaspora. VK: It’s quite evident in the case of the most of the diasporas that the challenges often make them more enterprising rather than failure in foreign soil. The new social network provides them better social capi- tal for harnessing useful resources for entrepreneurship. This happened to most of the diasporas from Asian countries as well as elsewhere. Can you please throw some light on these issues on how did the ethnic entrepreneurship in Thailand flourish and how did the social network help them in this regards? PSY: First, as mentioned above, there is no discrimination in Thailand against any disapora. They basically have all the freedom to do their businesses. Secondly, there are always opportunities in Thailand as the country has been growing economically. Thirdly, it is quite common for any diaspora to form social networks and business associations among themselves. Again, in this respect, Thai legal system is quite open. Moreover, the disapora do receive good higher edu- cation in Thai universities and abroad, which further enhance their business capabilities. At the same time, as globaliza- tion grows, Thai and Indian people who had closer contacts. This helps open up more business opportunities between the two countries. Furthermore, ASEAN market will be freely open for member nations at the end of the year 2015, in- cluding five main areas: freely open for products without tax barriers, freely open for services, freely open skilled hu- man resources and eight professional areas, freely open for capital investment, and freer flow of fund. This is a great opportunity for them. VK: You have been working on several issues and your academic contribution to the legal and political studies are well known. Please let us know what are your current research? PSY: I am going to start a new research project with my colleagues from Korea. The research topic is about Korean business in ASEAN. VK: Any Other issues you find useful? PSY: This is my personal interest. However, it is interesting to conduct the research on “Indians, Thai Indians and its heritages in Thailand.” If I can work together with Indian scholar to conduct the research with some sources of spon- sorship, that will be great. VK: Thank you Professor Samrit for sharing your insights on the diaspora issues. These ideas will defi- nitely help in providing insight to scholars engaged in diaspora and migration research. Prof. Samrit Yossomsakdi is a Faculty Member in Political Science and Law, Burapha University, Thailand. He did his Ph.D. in Political Science at Northern Illinois University, U.S.A.,1999. He held several positions in the University i.e De- partment Head, 1992, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, 1999-2001, Asso- ciate Dean for Research and International Affairs, Faculty of, Humanities and Social Science, 2001-2002, President, Fac- ulty Senate Council, 2002, Head, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, 2002-2007. He has published wide range of research papers in issues related to higher education policies, governance. Vinod Kumar is a Faculty member in Sociology, Department of Sociology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. Email: vinodchoudhary09@gmail.com
  • 7. 7 GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 07 ARTICLE Southern Italy as a Nexus of Women’s Transnational Migration Contemporary Italian transnational migration has mainly been studied in urban centers, and yet looking at migra- tion in Italy’s Southern rural areas is particularly reveal- ing. The dynamic between the image of a Southern Italy that is economically depressed with a deep and continued history of emigration and the image of a vibrant, stable Italy that draws new immigrants is especially hard-felt in rural parts of the South. Given that much of Southern Italy remains economically and politically at a disad- vantage in relation to Northern parts of the country, the presence of new immigrants in the South and the visible racism and xenophobia that comes with this presence is striking—the riots spurred on by the clash between immi- grants and “native” Italians in and around Rosarno (Calabria) in 2010 are a case in point. My research teases out this complexity through an analysis of contemporary transnational migration of women within rural parts of the region of Campania, in the landlocked hill towns of Alta Irpinia (province of Avellino). (This research was funded by a Fulbright Research Fellowship in 2006 and involved a larger ethnographic project throughout Alta Irpinia from which this is just a part.) I recognize that looking at the culture and experiences of different kinds of inbound and outbound migration helps uncover, for instance, ways in which national identity gets created and sustained, and how citizenship rights become tied to cultural appropria- tion. This study’s emphasis on transnational migration, including aspects of both the history of Italian emigration and the contemporary phenomenon of immigration to Italy, recognizes the South as a location for dynamic pro- cesses of cultural identity, appropriation, and history, thus countering traditional narratives of Southern Italy as stag- nant and retrograde. Migration as a Backdrop to the Landscape of Alta Irpinia The towns and villages of Alta Irpinia have witnessed an ongoing decline in population due mainly to emigration. Historically, Irpinia’s economy was agriculture-based, with few industries, thus leaving the area with high rates of unemployment, especially as industrialization hit Southern Italy. The 1980 Irpinia Earthquake further impeded eco- nomic growth and also spurred emigration. However, more and more former Alta Irpinians retire (either perma- nently or seasonally) in their native towns and villages and become, in essence, returning emigrants. This elderly age group, coupled with the changing demographics throughout Italy that has resulted in more and more younger generations living in urban centers, has led to a rise in the need for elder care. This type of domestic la- bor, as with other domestic labor sectors in Italy today, is almost exclusively performed by immigrant women—in Irpinia, mostly women from the Ukraine or Poland. In fact, in great part due to this curious popula- tion flux in the small towns and villages of Irpinia (its na- tive population overall continues to decrease although its retirement-age population slightly increases) new immi- grants have increasingly moved to the area. Again and again immigrant men and women I interviewed noted their contentment with having found work in small towns where there was less competition for service jobs and the cost of living was lower than the cities; even though a larger city might offer a better paying job, more cultural networks, and social assistance for immigrants. Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) figures demon- strate an increased presence of new immigrants, as do the existence of weekly buses that go to and from the former Soviet Union and elsewhere, the rise in multi- cultural events in the towns, and recent publications from the area. Overlapping Dislocated Identities In this study, I trace the migration stories of three wom- en residing in Alta Irpinia: “Rosina,” a former emigrant to Argentina, “Assunta,” a former emigrant to the United States, and “Lubica,” an immigrant from the Ukraine. Jux- taposing these stories illustrate how specific case histories of women’s lived experiences highlight individuality within a broadly shared global economic context. Oral histories afford points of view and perspectives often obfuscated by more standard narrative techniques. Scholarship on returning emigrants have noted, for instance, a kind of culture shock that sometimes comes with a move back to Italy; my interest is in examining that fissure in specific cases and in relation to a more intricate criss-crossing of migratory paths to and from Italy. The bottom line for this research is recognizing how the transnational aspects of Italian migration help create critiques of the nation and nation state. Considering women’s lived experiences through their own voices provides, as I have written else- where, “the possibility of a subaltern alternative to the hegemonic culture of the nation-state,” by underscoring marginalized subjectivities within dominant national idi- oms (Ruberto, Gramsci, Migration, and the Representa- tion of Women’s Work, 2007/2009). Laura E. Ruberto, Berkeley City College
  • 8. 8 GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201308 Lubica who was living in Calitri when I interviewed her but who is originally from the Ukraine, explains the nexus of migration in a straight-forward but telling way: We have many Italian acquaintances and friends, but not real friends that you hang out with, have over for parties, celebrations. Everyone has their families and their own ways of doing things. If Italians come here, and I serve them some Russian salad, they say, oh yuck, mayonnaise. Then I feel bad that they haven’t eaten and it ruins the party. It’s not a party if people don’t eat your food and they don’t have an open enough mind. We are more open. The only Italian we are friends with who isn’t like that is an older gentle- man, in his 60s, who is single. He lived in Holland for 40 years, and he understands, he says, he was like us. Her anecdote reminds us of the ways in which everyday interpersonal experiences lead to what we can consider a “dislocated” identity (a phrase whose use I borrow from the work of Rhacel Salazar Parreñas, Servants of Globali- zation, 2001). This dislocation encompasses both the in- stitutionalized and cultural ways migrants’ identities are fractured but also the manner in which migrants negoti- ate or even resist this fracturing. Indeed, this kind of re- sistance is something apparent in the experiences of the three women I focus on here. Consider Rosina, originally from St. Angelo dei Lombardi, and a former emigrant to Argentina: [Mi considero tambien Argentina, si.] I still consider myself Argentine, yes. Because I spent most of my life there. Here I’m considered a foreigner and even there I’m considered a foreigner, but I don’t, no, I don’t consider myself one. Here, they treat me differently, I’m considered poor, ignorant, but they’re the ones who are ignorant. The people here are the ones who have never been away. Rosina’s negotiation of dislocation is apparent in the lin- guistically charged way she clarifies her own subjectivity and in the way she positions herself against others’ defi- nitions of her status. Assunta, originally from Cairano but who had returned from the United States, describes this contested identity as a reflection of her own happiness: I was not happy to return. I knew that I would no longer be able to get used to living here because me, I’m a person who likes to live and here it’s all about dying. For Assunta, Southern Italy supports a moribund past rather than a vibrant future. An International Popular Culture Through Oral Stories Together, the individual stories of Lubica, Rosina, and Assunta are in line with other cultural expressions of be- longing and not belonging associated with transnational migration. The women’s stories I collected in Alta Irpinia highlight themes of alienation, non-belonging, contradic- tory class mobility, and sense of social exclusion. Noting the similarities between the experiences of return mi- grants and new immigrants within the same location sug- gests a more hybrid sense of national identity and way of recognizing the role of globalization within what is often seen to be a nation-specific framework of migration. All three women present a hybrid identity, informed by a series of dislocations—from conflicting class mobility to social alienation. And all three women recognize Italy’s (especially Southern Italy’s) own rocky position within global migration history as ways of explaining their own emotions and responses; the macro, structural affects on these women’s lived experiences. Put differently, it is pre- cisely because they are women (who for the most part are in Italy performing gender-specific jobs), that their oral stories and their lived experiences underscore the kinds of contradictions inherent in Italy’s culture and his- tory of migration. The public negotiation of identity im- posed on women migrants due to social pressures and physical practicalities creates particular layers of disloca- tions. From such dislocations we might arrive at what I call an “international popular culture,” where the women’s oral histories “by demonstrating a complex idea of cultur- al identity,” create a counter-hegemony: we can imagine how the women’s diverse histories and experiences…might point to the transformative poten- tial the women have on their work and living environ- ments. (Ruberto, Gramsci, Migration, and the Repre- sentation of Women’s Work, 2007/2009) These three oral stories seek to remind us that transna- tional migration experiences inform how individuals think about their own identities, how they negotiate relation- ships with others, and how they negotiate their own sense of whatever temporary or long-term space they might call home. These negotiations are not dream-like but instead are visible on women’s faces and in the words they use to talk about their lives. Laura E. Ruberto, Humanities Professor, Berkeley City College; author of Gramsci, Migration, and the Represen- tation of Women at Work and co-editor of Italian Neore- alism and Global Cinema. Her research interests include cultural theories of transnational migration, Italian Ameri- can culture (gender, media, material culture, and the West), Italian transnational migration, and Italian cine- ma. http://www.berkeleycitycollege.edu/wp/lruberto/ For a complete version of this paper, see “Always Italian, Still Foreign: Connecting Women’s Lives Through Transnational Migration,” La Ques- tione Meridionale, Num. 2, Feb. 2011, 77-97. We invite Students, Researchers and Faculty Members to submit Stories, Reviews, Articles, Working papers and other academ- ic notes to the editor. It will provide the scholars a platform to connect with peer groups working on themes related to Diaspo- ra and Transnationalism. Information related to seminar/conferences/events can be sent to the Editor at: editor@grfdt.com
  • 9. 9 09GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 09 Diasporas in the New Media age: Identity, Politics and Community, Andoni Alonso and Pedro J. Oiar- zabal(ed.), University of Nevada Press, Reno, Ne- vada, 2010, ISBN 978-0-87417-815-9 If Facebook were a country, it would be the third most populous. On the Internet, there are multiple digital social networks like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. The study of social networks can be traced back to the eighteenth- century Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler who solved the famous Königsberg bridge problem (i.e., how to cross the city’s seven bridges and get back to the starting point without crossing any one bridge more than once). With the new media age upon us social networks are heavily relied upon by citizens and diasporas for messaging and activism. This book, with 18 multidisciplinary essays divided into two parts, tells the reader how the Internet and the digi- tal social media are being used by diasporas to redefine identity, politics and community. Even though historically there has been a close link be- tween technology and migration, i.e. technology advance- ments in communication and transport resulted in in- crease of population movements, Internet has taken it to a new level allowing people to look at places they wish to migrate before the actual travel, and have a ready link back to their homelands. In “Migration, IT and Interna- tional Policy”, Jennifer M Brinkenhoff argues that digital diaspora has become a vehicle for disseminating infor- mation and advice to newly arrived migrants, hence it acts as a tool for soft assimilation into the host society as they combat marginalization, provide solidarity and facili- tate access to public goods and services. As the Internet has become a tool for mobilizing collective identity of the diasporas into action by facilitating issue framing and confidence building, digital diaspora has policy implica- tions for the host and homeland governments as well as international development policy makers and analysts. Michel S Languerre goes further in Digital Diasporas (definitions and Models)” by bringing out the interplay between information technology and diaspora, and then constructs models of digital diaspora explaining the build- ing blocks required for digital diaspora to emerge. Adela Ros in his essay “Interconnected immigrants in the infor- mation society” critically analyses interconnections in im- migration and interrelationship between integration and elements that are transforming our way of life in an infor- mation society. He concludes that, in such a society, the need to remain in contact makes people buy mobiles even when they don’t have food to eat. Andoni Alonso amd Inaki Arzoz in their essay “An activist common for people without states by cybergolem” argue that cybergolem has become something more than collec- tive authorship; it has become an entity that changes, acquires different forms and tries to re-elaborate the idea of authorship in each work. The author gives the example of Basque shepherds who used to carve with knives, mes- sages, slogans and drawings onto the white bark of pop- lars trees showing their condition, their dreams and their nostalgia for their homeland. Internet has evolved as an electronic forest for communication. Part two of the book has dialogues across cyberspace, with essays on the African, Eritrean, Jamaican, Salvado- rean, Indian, Chinese, Arab, Uyghur, Galician and Basque diaspora. With internet making possible new kinds of communicative spaces and practices, the essay “Nationalist Networks, The Eritrean diaspora online” by Vistoria Bernal talks about the Eritrea online as a kind of virtual Eritrea and serving as a nationalist space on cyber- world. The Eritrean diaspora having created a web based public space for debating national issues like the formula- tion of Eritrean constitution. Even when Maffesoli considers relationships on virtual networks as being characterized by banality, superficiality and fragmentation, Javier Bustamante in his essay “Tidelike diasporas in Brazil, From slavery to Orkut” feels social media like Orkut and other diasporan websites al- low for creating of totems around which people can as- semble . He goes on to add that this factor is extremely important in order to keep a cohesive and collective iden- tity, and that this identity is based on the search for and supply of support. Pedro Joiarzabal argues some of most potent and durable aspects of nationalism are national symbols, customs and ceremonies. These evoke an in- stant emotional response from all strata of the communi- ty especially the diaspora, since symbols are their last vestiges of ethnic identity. He substantiates this argu- ment with the example of online re-creating of Grenika by 16 Basque diaspora associations. Grenika incidentally was destroyed by bombings of Nazi Germany in 1937 and is subsequently used as an identity marker defining Basqueness. Giving a counterpoint in her easy “The Internet and new Chinese migrants”, Brenda Chan feels that we cannot assume that internet will always be a powerful and effec- tive medium in mobilizing migrants into collective action. She quotes Cass Sunstein that “Internet supports the de- velopment of deliberative enclaves and becomes the breeding ground for group polarization and extremism”. Diasporas in the new media age is about theoretical stud- ies and examples of the ways diaspora today is using technology to construct and represent notions Book Review
  • 10. 10 of identity, nation and homeland, that is leading to the concept of digital transnationalism and long distance or internet nationalism. The digital diaspora are also pro- cesses of deterritorializing through which one latter terri- torializes a new locus of that displaced through virtual networks. Some chapters while well written and internally cohesive somehow repeat the argument made in other chapters. For example the chapters on “The Internet and new Chi- nese migrants” by Brenda Chan and “Migration of Chinese professionals and the development of the Chinese ICT industry” by Yu Zhou could have been combined under overall Chinese migration with a section for those migrat- ing to south-east Asia and those migrating to the west. An overall tighter editing would make the book a better read. With issues, debates and discourses in the field of digital diaspora and migration the present volume is of value to students and scholars of understanding the interplay be- tween technology and diaspora studies. It will also be useful to students of international relations especially with the mobility as the new mantra in migration studies. Abhay Chawla is a journalist and a visiting faculty in CIC, Delhi University. He teaches online journalism and his Ph.D topic is ―"Marginalizations and consumption of new media". Email:drabhaychawla@gmail.com Twitter: gurgaonharyana GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 201310 Can developing countries learn from Obama’s Immigration Policy? "Real reform means fixing the legal immigration system to cut waiting periods, reduce bureaucracy and attract the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers that will help create jobs and grow our economy," Obama said. This should be a wake up call for the planners of the de- veloping countries. Though this is happening in practice always, there is intensive planning to attract selective group of skilled and entrepreneurial folk since last two decades. The bureaucracies in the developing countries are the worst enemy of any progressive policies so far. Bureau- cracy work best as more barriers than facilitator. Most of the time, the decisions are taken and executed without any systematic planning and understanding. This is the case with migration. The bureaucracy created problem in creating conducive environment for economic The great African Saga: Exhibition of African Diaspora GLOBAL UPDATE Though the epic odyssey remains little known, African diaspora is a global phenomenon today spreading across different countries. They are often known as Kaffir, Siddi, Habshi, or Zanji is different parts of Indian subcontinent. They work in very diverse occupation such as soldiers, servants, sailors, merchants, mystics, musicians, commanders and nurses etc. They have been adapted to the local cultures wherever they have settled. The African diaspora in Asia have contributed and added more diver- sity to the local cultures. The African diaspora is a story replete with fascinating stories of struggles which they exhibited in their host so- cieties. These Africans were brought into the Indian sub- continent through the ports of Baluchistan and Sindh, where they worked as dockworkers, horse-keepers, do- mestic servants, agricultural workers, nurses, palanquin carriers and apprentices to blacksmiths and carpenters. Naturally, most of them settled in Pakistan as compared to other parts of the Indian subcontinent. Most of them settled in "Mombasa Street" and "Sheedi Village" in Kara- chi. In India they are mostly called as Siddis as well as Hobshi settled mostly in Hyderabad (Habshiguda), Guaja- rat, Bengal, Goa. In Gujarat they have raisen up to the ruler which is a remarkable feat as compared to the Afri- can in other parts of Asia. They are also spread across Matota in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Maldives. During the 14th century, when the Moroc- can traveller Ibn Battuta was at Colombo, he noted "the wazir and ruler of the sea," Jalasti, had "about 500 Abys- sinians" serving in his garrison. The Africans diaspora in Asia have speaks local lan- guages. They are part of Indian society and guaranteed constitutional rights like other citizens. Some of them are given reservation as Schedule castes and Tribes. They have been assimilated into the dominant religions in the Asia i.e Hindu, Islam and Christian. But still there are traces of linguistic and other identities markers which one can easily identify while interacting with them. There are few exhibitions on the African diaspora in the past. The forthcoming exhibition at New York Public Library during July 2013 is a great initiative to showcase the history of African Diaspora. http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africansindianocean/ images.php will provide more details of the exhibitions. http://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/africans-india- slaves-generals-and-rulers#.UUhh0qeXPGY.facebook
  • 11. 11 GRFDT NEWSLETTER VOL.2 No.3 MARCH 2013 11 engagement of the skilled and entrepreneurial communi- ties. This is still happening even after several countries liberalized their economy. Managing migration is the big- gest challenge for everybody today and there is a greater need for bureaucratic reform. Though migration is a glob- al issue today, certain countries have realized the poten- tial of migrant people, though they facilitate selective mi- gration. Brain drain is still a very serious issue that is affecting many countries across the world working as a slow poi- son. This is further aggravated by the policies of the de- veloped countries that have been very selective in select- ing whom to receive and whom to reject. In the process the high skilled and entrepreneurial folk migrate to the developed countries leaving the skilled and semiskilled back home creating a very dangerous situation of unem- ployment and underemployment. This fuel the migration cycle further as the most sought after entrepreneurial create jobs abroad. Now the developing countries must realize that they have huge potential which needs proper management. The loss of entrepreneurial skills a great loss that any country can afford! Diaspora is getting higher profile in International Relations: Pinak Chakravarty Indian diaspora has become of one the important factors in India’s foreign policy since 1990s, said Mr. Pinak R. Chakravarty, Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Speaking at an International con- ference at India International Centre, New Delhi which jointly organised by the Organisations for Diaspora Initia- tives, School of International Studies, JNU and India In- ternational Centre on “India and Its Diaspora: A Compar- ative Perspective” during 29-30 March 2013, Mr Chakravarty elaborated the context in which Indian dias- pora came in to prominence. He said that India has been looking outward since liberalisation in which Foreign Di- rect Investment is one of the most important compo- nents. In 1970s the FDI was hardly 3 % and now the share has gone up to 30 %. Diaspora is one of the key players in the FDI too. Similar is the case of remittances. India is the largest receiver of remittance in the world today. Thus, Indian diaspora’s prosperity is one of the attractions for mutual engagement which was realised in 1990s. Mr. Chakravarty mentioned that “Indian diaspora reflects the socio-economic and cultural diversities of India”. They are spread out in 136 countries across the globe. The foreign policies with these countries have no one size di- plomacy rather each countries needs different ways to engage depending upon the socio-cultural and political and economic scenario. Indian government have made various efforts to engage diaspora on regular basis. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) and a host of policies are some of the initiatives since last one decade to reach out to the diaspora. Some of the state governments such as Punjab and Kerala which have large number of diaspora abroad also have special policy measures to reach out to the diaspora. “One of the problems of the Indian diaspora is the lack of political mobilisation in its early days in their host coun- tries”, said Mr. Chakravarty. The Ugandan and Fiji crisis were due to the lack of successful political mobilisation of the Indian diaspora, which resulted in large-scale damage and exodus of People of Indian origin. However, over the years the Indian diaspora is learning lessons and tries to mobilise better. Mr. Chakravarty also mentioned that the Indian engage- ment with diaspora often misunderstood by the host countries as they perceive this as the external loyalty of their citizens. However, these misconceptions are slowly getting eroded due to the changes in the global level as each country now having their own diaspora. The con- nectivity and network has made people relate in an un- precedented way which is experienced everywhere across the globe. Finally, Mr. Chakravarty also mentioned that diaspora is getting higher profile in International Relations. In this context the role of academicians are very important. “It is not possible for Ministry to have wide range of inputs on its own and hence it time for building synergy between academics and policy and to develop a peer group for better understanding and engagement with the diaspora” he emphasised. We invite Students, Researchers and Faculty Members to submit a small write up of their achievements and awards to the editor. It will provide the scholars a platform to connect with peer groups working on themes related to Diaspora and Transnationalism. Information related to seminar/conferences/events can be sent to the Editor at: editor@grfdt.com Note: The list of information about Conferences/Seminars/Call for Papers in this newsletter are compiled from the web- sources and researchers are requested to contact the organizers and cross check the details before sending the abstract/ paper and most importantly before registering.
  • 12. 12 GRFDT Activities Papers/Talks During past one Year (April 2012-March2013) 1. “Life-World in a Cross-Cultural Marriage” by Dr. Renuka Singh, CSSS, Jawaharlal Nehru Universi- ty, New Delhi, 16 March 2013 2. “From Remittances to Migrant Money: Two-way flows between Australia and India” by Prof. Su- priya Singh, RMIT University, Melbourne, Austral- ia, 24 February 2013. 3. “The Toxic Narration: Italian policies on Immigration in the last 20 years” by Anadi Mishra, PhD candidate at University "La Sapienza" of Rome in Culture and Civilization of Asia and Africa, 19 January 2013 at JNU 4. “Dalit Diaspora in Britain” by Dr. Meena Dhanda, Reader in Philosophy and Cultural Politics, University of Wolverhampton, Chaired by Dr.Vivek Kumar on Jan- uary 13, 2013 at JNU 5. “(Re)Framing the Nation: Chinese and Indian Diaspora Policies in Historical Perspective” by Dr. Els van Dongen, Nanyang Technological university, Singapore, on Dec 22, 2012 at JNU. 6. “Overseas Citizenship and Nationality: Study of Turkey and India” by Ms. Hande Unsal, Ankara Law School, Turkey, 10 November 2012 at JNU 7. Film-screening titled “Asa Nu Mann Watan Da” on 22nd September, 2012 8. "Elder Abuse Among Indian Diaspora in USA: Issues and Problems" By Prof. P.K. Mishra, 18 August 2012, JNU 9. “The Globalization of Hindutva-A Study into the emer- gence of e- Hindutva” by Dr. Ingrid Therwath of the Centre de Sciences Humaine, New Delhi on 30th July 2012 10. “Gender and Diaspora: A Study of Amitav Ghosh’s Sea of Poppies and River of Smoke” by Dr. Nandini C. Sen is an Associate Professor, Cluster Innovation Cen-tre, University of Delhi on 27th October, 2012 at Room No. 13, CSSS II, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Indian Diaspora: Emerging Issues and Challenges, 25th June 2012. 11. Introduction to the Indian Diaspora- Prof. P.C. Jain, SIS, Jawaharlal Nehru University 12. “Hindu Nationalism, Identity and Marginalization in Indian Diasporic Literature in the US” by Kshipra Kam- lesh Uke, Centre for American Studies (SIS), Jawahar- lal Nehru University, 25th June 2012 13. “Indian Diaspora in India’s Look East policy” by Dr. Amit Singh, Associate Fellow at the National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi, 25th June 2012 14. “Giving back to India; Investment opportunities and Challenges” by Dr Anjali Sahay, Department of Politi- cal, Legal and International Studies, Gannon University Pennsylvania, U.S.A, 25th June 2012 Indian Diaspora: Policy and Advocacy, 7 April, 2012 15. "Engaging the Indian Diaspora" by Dr. A. Didar Singh, Former Secretary, MOIA, 12 May 2012 16. "India’s Diasora Policy 1999-2008: Evolution, Objec- tives and Principles" by Dr. Smita Tiwari, JNU, 12 May 2012 17. "Public Policy and Advocacy: Understanding Indian Diaspora Advocacy" by Kamala Kanta Dash, Monash University, Australia, 12 May 2012 18. India's Diaspora Policy: Evolution, Challenges and Pro- spects‛ by Shri J.C Shamra, Former Member Secretary, High Level Committee on Indian Diaspora, April 21, 2012 at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Indian Diaspora: Mobility and Identity, 7 April, 2012 19. “Failure of Cultural coincidence and Closure of devel- opment horizons: Narrating the case of Return Emi- grants among Mappila Muslims of Kerala” by Muneer Illath 20. "Tamil Diaspora: A Case Study of Contempo- rary Mobilization in Malaysia", by Dr M. Mahalingam 21. “Forms of Reproduction and Subversion of Caste Rela- tions: Dalits within the Indian Diaspora" by Vinod Sartape Ashok 22. “Understanding Diaspora as a Social Process: The Conceptual Scheme”- by Mr. Shivam 23. "Labour migration to West Asia from Sikar, Churu and Jhunjhunu Districts: Problems and Prospects" by Jee- tendra D. Soni