International Context/South Asian Immigration Flashcards
What were the main reasons for increased South Asian migration in the 19th and 20th centuries?
Brown
Driven by economic hardship, colonial policies, labor demands, and opportunities for a better life
How do traditions shape the identities, experiences, and choices of South Asian diaspora communities?
Brown
South Asians balance keeping their culture while adapting to new places, creating complex identities in their communities
How did the expansion of transportation and communication in the 20th century affect migration?
It facilitated easier migration, making it possible for more South Asians to move to the United States and other countries
What role did the East India Company play in shaping South Asian migration patterns?
Facilitated the movement of laborers and traders under British colonial policies
What were the primary motivations for South Asian migration to East Africa and Southeast Asia during the British colonial period?
Economic opportunities
British colonial policies
What major factors influenced South Asian migration patterns in the post-independence era?
Economic opportunities
Educational prospects
Removal of colonial restrictions
Why were early Indian immigrants called “Hindus”?
It was due to their religion, despite ethnic and regional diversity
What were the contexts for Asian Indian immigration to the United States?
Takaki
Primarily driven by labor demands (agriculture and railroad work) as well as later educational opportunities and professional careers
Why were early South Asian immigrants referred to as the “Tide of Turbans”?
Most were Sikh, who were easily distinguishable due to their turbans
Why did mainstream America fear so much from a small number Indian immigrants who were labeled as “Hindus”? What does this discrepancy between written constitution and social practice tell us about American history?
It wad due to racial and economic anxieties
Immigration policies sought to exclude non-white groups
Why did early Indian immigrants settle in California?
More available agricultural jobs
Sikh farmers thrived in the Central Valley
What was the first case of rejection of Indian immigrant’s application for citizenship and why was it rejected?
Veer Singh v. CA
He refused to remove his turban
What legal case initially allowed South Asians to be classified as “white” for naturalization?
US v. Balsara
What was the basis for SCOTUS’s rulings in US v. Bhagat Singh Thind? How did the court define the notion of “race” and “white” in this case?
He wasn’t legally considered “white” under the law at the time
- “White” was considered European
- “Race” wa considered a social concept; based off of how society viewed different groups
How did South Asian immigrants circumvent or resist anti-Asian land laws (including Alien Land Act of 1913)?
Legal loopholes (putting property in their children’s names, forming partnerships with white and Mexican people)
How did the racial classification of South Asians as “Caucasian” yet “non-white” in Thind case reflect contradictions in American immigration and citizenship laws?
The Thind case exposed inconsistencies, as South Asians were legally white but socially excluded
Why did many Punjabi men in the U.S. ended up marrying Mexican women?
- Survival tactic
- Ratio of men to women was 75:1
- Similarities in culture
