south asian conference council

conference summary

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The focus of this year’s conference is South Asian American issues. At our conference retreat earlier this year, one person brought up the point that many South Asian American students on campus were very intimidated by the members and leaders of South Asian Society on campus because they were less aware of their culture and about South Asian issues than these members. From this observation, we began a long and heated discourse on the subject of South Asian American identity.

Someone asked, “Is it cool to be seen at the dining hall/cafeteria with people of the same race and ethnicity?” Well, it definitely doesn’t look like the glossy photos of the groups of racially diverse students you see in college brochures. And what about the stereotypes associated with minorities who cluster together and don’t mix with the rest of the student population? What stereotypes are associated in particular with South Asian groupies? The discussion than turned to another point, “Who cares what stereotypes other people pin on us – what does the South Asian identity mean to us?”

Does being South Asian mean that we speak another language, stomach spicy food, or idolize the fantastic world of Bollywood? How is our understanding of this identity affected by socio-economic factors? How is the South Asian identity perceived differently by those who live in a Jackson Heights, Edison, or another little India? How does parental interest affect our understanding of the South Asian identity? How do their careers and social circles influence us? What about Saturday school? Recent migration from the subcontinent? Being part of the Diaspora rather than a first generation South Asian American?

During the conference, we hope to address these issues and develop them further. With the recent release of Swades, we find the spirit of the NRI captured in film – the NRI wants to better understand his roots and find a way to give back to the country of his ancestors. In order to do this, he must first gather himself and realize what his identity means to him. By probing into some of these issues and initiating discussion on the subject, we are attempting to gain a little better understanding what the South Asian American identity means to us and hope that the discussion will be of some interest to the students of all backgrounds – whether they are directly from the subcontinent, are NRIs or are PIOs.

Once again, the conference is entitled, “Solidarity: Addressing Concerns of the South Asian Diaspora.” It will held at Yale on Friday and Saturday, February 4 and 5, 2005. Please click here to register online. We hope to see you at the conference!