Movindri Reddy - Social Movements and the Indian Diaspora

With the elevation of Islam and Muslim transnational networks in international affairs, from the rise of Al Qaeda to the revolutions in North Africa and the Middle East, the study of diasporas and transnational identities has become more relevant.

Using case studies from Fiji, Mauritius, Trinidad, and South Africa, this book analyzes the influence that the indentured Indian diaspora has on state nationalism and transnational politics. It explores the way in which diasporas are defined by themselves and by others, and the types of social movements they participate in, showing how these are critical indicators of the threat they are perceived to pose. The book examines the notions of national and transnational identity, and how these are determined by the placement of diasporas in the nation-state. It argues that the transnationality intrinsic to diaspora identities marks them as others in the nation-state, and simultaneously separates them from the perceived motherland, thus displacing them from both states and situating them in a transnational locality. It is from this placement that social movements among diasporas gain salience. As outsiders and insiders, they are well placed to offer a formidable challenge to the host state, but these challenges are limited by their hybrid identities and perceived divided loyalties.

Providing an in-depth analysis of Indian diasporas, the book will be of interest to those studying South Asian studies, migration, and diaspora studies.