Abstract

This research is a study of first and second-generation Indian immigrants living in the United States. As such, the purpose of this paper is to discuss how first and second-generation Indian immigrants manage their cultural identity. Additionally, I examine the ways Indian immigrants see the concept of whiteness, how their cultural expression is valued or de-valued by the mainstream institution, and how the process of globalization impacts and influences transnational identity. The data for this research was gathered through several in-depth interviews of first and second-generation Indian immigrants living in the United States, and surveys, participant observation, and secondary research through scholarly articles complement these ethnographic methods. In addition to literature and ethnographic methods, this research is complemented by theories of Daniel Linger, Pierre Bourdieu, and Arjun Appadurai which deal with the ideas of identity, social and cultural capital, and globalization. The juxtaposition of these research methods gives a unique look at this very complex issue and provides a stepping stone for further research in this area.

Advisor

Gunn, Raymond

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Disciplines

Anthropology

Keywords

identity, globalization, indian immigrants

Publication Date

2012

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2012 Cassie Dutton