Transnational immigrants : redefining identity and citizenship / Uma Sarmistha.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sarmistha, Uma, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

East Indians--United States.

East Indians.

East Indians--Cultural assimilation.

Assimilation (Sociology).

United States.

Assimilation (Sociology)--United States.

Transnationalism.

United States--Emigration and immigration--Social aspects.

Emigration and immigration.

Social aspects.

Emigration and immigration--Social aspects.

Physical Description:

xi, 127 pages : illustrations (mostly color) ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Singapore : Springer, [2019]

Summary:

This book provides a detailed account of transnational practices undertaken by Indian 'high-tech' workers living in the United States. It describes the complexities and challenges of adapting to a new culture while clinging to tradition. Asian-Indians represent a significant part of the professional and 'high-tech' workforce in the United States, and the majority are temporary workers, working on contractual jobs (H1-B and L1 work visa category). Further, it is not unusual for Indian immigrant workers to marry and have children while working in the U.S. Gradually, they learn to negotiate the U.S. cultural terrain in both their place of work and at home in the U.S. As such there is the potential that they will become transnational, developing new identities and engaging in cultural and social practices from two different nations: India and the U.S. Against this background, the book describes the nature and extent of transnational practices adopted by high-tech Indian workers employed in the United States on temporary work visas.The study reveals that the temporary stay of these professionals and their families in the U.S. necessitates day-to-day balancing of two cultures in terms of food, clothing, recreation, and daily activities, creating a transnational lifestyle for these young professionals. Transnational activities at the workplace, which are forced by the work culture of the MNCs that employ them, can be considered as 'transnationalism from above.' Simultaneously, being bi-lingual at home, cooking and eating Indian and Western food, socializing with Indian and American friends outside work, and all the cultural activities they perform on a day-to-day basis, indicates 'transnationalism from below'. The book is of interest to researchers and academics working on issues relating to culture, social change, migration and development.

Contents:

Chai, Samosa, and H1B visa: Indian IT workers in the United States

Land of opportunity: life beyond Hollywood movies

American dreams and identity conflict

Transnationalism as cultural hybridity and flexible citizenship

Being transnational citizen

Conclusion: creation of temporary enclaves.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 123-127).

ISBN:

9811385416

9789811385414

OCLC:

1099530492