Routledge Handbook of Indian Transnationalism

This book introduces readers to the many dimensions of historical and contemporary Indian transnationalism and the experiences of migrants and workers to reveal the structures of transnationalism and the ways in which Indian origin groups are affected. The concept of crossing borders emerges as an important theme, along with the interweaving of life in geographic and web spaces. The authors draw from a variety of archives and intellectual perspectives in order to map the narratives of Indian transnationalism and analyse the interplay of culture and structures within transnational contexts. The topics covered range from the history of transnational networks, activism, identity, gender, politics, labour, policy, performance, literature and more. This collection presents a wide array of issues and debates which will reinvigorate discussions about Indian transnationalism. This handbook will be an invaluable resource for academics, researchers, and students interested in studying South Asia in general and the Indian diaspora in particular. Review "Dissecting the economic, cultural, political, gendered and historical aspects of cross-border engagements with respect to India, this volume succeeds in starting a conversation with related approaches such as colonialism and intersectionality and provides a firm grounding for analysing the Indian case in a global perspective." Thomas Faist, Professor of Sociology, Bielefeld University, Germany "This timely volume offers a path-breaking collection of essays on transnationalism with special reference to India and the Indian diaspora. Supported by detailed historical research, both traditional and web-based, each essay interrogates global disjunctures, unequal power structures, gender hierarchies and social and ethnic collisions that underlie the politics of migration, borders, homeland narratives, cosmopolitanism and the changing definitions of the nation state." Vijay Mishra, Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Murdoch University, Australia "This is an excellent collection of essays that includes the entire gamut of themes relating to the Indian transnationalism – from migrant workers (labourers and skilled professionals), implications for culture and identity, political and gender dynamics, and global networks – which would appeal to scholars and students of sociology, anthropology, history, geography and diaspora studies." Brij Maharaj, Professor of Geography, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa About the Author Ajaya K. Sahoo teaches at the Centre for Study of Indian Diaspora, University of Hyderabad, India. His research interests include the Indian diaspora and transnationalism. He has co-edited the Routledge Handbook of the Indian Diaspora (2018), Indian Transnationalism Online (2014), Transnational Migrations: The Indian Diaspora (2009) and Tracing an Indian Diaspora: Contexts, Memories, Representations (2008). He is also the editor of South Asian Diaspora, also published by Routledge. Bandana Purkayastha is Professor of Sociology and Asian American Studies at the University of Connecticut, USA. Her research interests are the intersections of gender/racism/class/age, transnationalism, violence and peace, and human rights. Her recent books are The Human Rights Enterprise: Political Sociology, State Power, and Social Movements (2015), Voices of Internally Displaced Persons in Kenya: A Human Rights Perspective (2015) and Human Trafficking (2018).