Winner of the 2018 Gordon K. and Sybil Farrell Lewis Award for the best book in Caribbean studies from the Caribbean Studies Association This book tells a distinct story of Indians in the Caribbean--one concentrated not only on archival records and institutions, but also on the voices of the people and the ways in which they define themselves and the world around them. Through oral history and ethnography, Lomarsh Roopnarine explores previously marginalized Indians in the Caribbean and their distinct social dynamics and histories, including the French Caribbean and other islands with smaller South Asian populations. He pursues a comparative approach with inclusive themes that cut across the Caribbean. In 1833, the abolition of slavery in the British Empire led to the import of exploited South Asian indentured workers in the Caribbean. Today India bears little relevance to most of these Caribbean Indians. Yet, Caribbean Indians have developed an in-between status, shaped by South Asian customs such as religion, music, folklore, migration, new identities, and Bollywood films. They do not seem akin to Indians in India, nor are they like Caribbean Creoles, or mixed-race Caribbeans. Instead, they have merged India and the Caribbean to produce a distinct, dynamic local entity. The book does not neglect the arrival of nonindentured Indians in the Caribbean since the early 1900s. These people came to the Caribbean without an indentured contract or after indentured emancipation but have formed significant communities in Barbados, the US Virgin Islands, and Jamaica. Drawing upon over twenty-five years of research in the Caribbean and North America, Roopnarine contributes a thorough analysis of the Indo-Caribbean, among the first to look at the entire Indian diaspora across the Caribbean.

Mixing—whether referred to as mestizaje, callaloo, hybridity, creolization, or multiculturalism—is a foundational cultural trope in Caribbean and Latin American societies. Historically entwined with colonial, anticolonial, and democratic ideologies, ideas about mixing are powerful forces in the ways identities are interpreted and evaluated. As Aisha Khan shows in this ethnography, they reveal the tension that exists between identity as a source of equality and identity as an instrument through which social and cultural hierarchies are reinforced. Focusing on the Indian diaspora in the Caribbean, Khan examines this paradox as it is expressed in key dimensions of Hindu and Muslim cultural history and social relationships in southern Trinidad. In vivid detail, she describes how disempowered communities create livable conditions for themselves while participating in a broader culture that both celebrates and denies difference. Khan combines ethnographic research she conducted in Trinidad over the course of a decade with extensive archival research to explore how Hindu and Muslim Indo-Trinidadians interpret authority, generational tensions, and the transformations of Indian culture in the Caribbean through metaphors of mixing. She demonstrates how ambivalence about the desirability of a callaloo nation—a multicultural society—is manifest around practices and issues, including rituals, labor, intermarriage, and class mobility. Khan maintains that metaphors of mixing are pervasive and worth paying attention to: the assumptions and concerns they communicate are key to unraveling who Indo-Trinidadians imagine themselves to be and how identities such as race and religion shape and are shaped by the politics of multiculturalism.

Over 33 million strong Indian diasporas spread all over the world has been an exceptionally successful story. Given their skills and other social qualities; they are also among the most sought after lots in most countries. Indian diaspora has performed well on all important parameters — political; economical; technological and cultural. PIOs are amongst the top skilled; employable and prosperous non-native people in most countries. They are heading some of the top multinational companies and hold high positions in many international organisations; in a way making an important contribution to the evolving global agenda. Today; Indian diaspora is investing in creating jobs and cutting edge technologies world over. India has also done very well in reaching out to its diaspora through various channels; including the youth. At over USD 75 billion annually; India is the top recipient of remittances. Diaspora could also be an important source of technology and know-how. Given their goodwill on both sides; they are a great source of confidence-building between India and countries of their adoption and have demonstrated their clout on many occasions. Over the last many centuries; Indians have travelled to many near and far off destinations in the world for trade; business; education and jobs. One major wave of such movement was carried out by the colonial administration under the so called indentured system for meeting labour shortages in their overseas plantations. This inhuman system of exploitation of workers finally ended and the centenary of its abolition was commemorated in many parts of the world including India during 2017-18. Antar Rashtrya Sahyog Parishad (ARSP) had organised year long activities to mark this important land mark in the life of Indian diaspora; culminating with an international conference on the topic; ‘Contribution of Diaspora in Nation Building’ in Mauritius in July 2018. Several leaders and scholars addressed this gathering and this publication captures the essence of its outcomes. This publication could be a good reference for students and scholars working on diaspora. Diaspora and Nation-Building by Ruchi Verma, Nutan Pandey, Narayan Kumar, and Anup K. Mudgal: Explore the intricate relationship between diaspora communities and the process of nation-building through this insightful collaboration. Ruchi Verma, Nutan Pandey, Narayan Kumar, and Anup K. Mudgal offer a multidimensional analysis of how diasporic groups contribute to their homeland's development, culture, and identity, offering readers a nuanced perspective on the global Indian diaspora. Key Aspects of the Book "Diaspora and Nation-Building": Complex Interplay: The collaborative effort delves into the multifaceted dynamics between diaspora communities and their countries of origin, exploring their economic, cultural, and social impact. Case Studies: The book features case studies that showcase the diverse experiences and contributions of different diaspora groups, shedding light on their roles in nation-building processes. Global Perspective: "Diaspora and Nation-Building" offers a global perspective on the Indian diaspora, enriching readers' understanding of how diasporic connections shape and influence nations. Ruchi Verma, Nutan Pandey, Narayan Kumar, and Anup K. Mudgal are accomplished scholars and researchers known for their expertise in diaspora studies. Their collaboration in Diaspora and Nation-Building reflects their collective dedication to exploring the intersections of migration, identity, and nationhood.

In Beyond the Legacy of the Missionaries and East Indians, Jerome Teelucksingh offers a revisionist perspective of the role of the Presbyterian Church in Trinidad. He is particularly interested in social mobility as regards the Indo-Caribbean diaspora in the era following the First World War. He argues that the Presbyterian Church in the Caribbean was particularly interested in women’s rights. As such, he examines the dynamic between local expertise and Canadian missionary work in such social uplift processes.

Indian Diaspora World Convention was held in Trinidad in 2017 to commemorate the 1917 decision of the Indian legislature to end further recruitment of Indians for overseas indentured service. The eleven essays in this second volume cover a wide range under the heading ‘Charting New Frontiers’. It is a diverse collection, indicating broad scope among the researchers on this theme. The contributors to this volume think through the conundrum of national citizenship, in relation to their routes and roots from a variety of perspectives. The essays compiled in this monograph, thus, reveal that the subject areas comprising the study of the Indian diaspora are interdisciplinary in nature and constantly evolving. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

This book critically examines new perspectives on the transformations in the Indian diaspora. It studies the changing perspectives on the historical background of the diaspora and analyses fresh and emerging views in response to new configurations in diaspora relations. The volume highlights the transformation of the old Indian diaspora into a new ensemble in which economic, ideological and cultural forces predominate and interact closely. It looks at various themes including Indian indentured emigration to sugar colonies, comparisons between labour migration from India and China, the Girmitiya diaspora, the Indian diaspora in Africa and the rise of racial nationalism, India’s soft power in the Gulf region, and the repurposing of the ‘Hindutva’ idea of India for Western societies as undertaken by diaspora communities. Lucid and topical, this book will be useful for scholars and researchers of diaspora studies, migration studies, political studies, international relations, globalisation, political sociology, sociology and South Asia studies.