Extended Essay

Subject: Social and Cultural Anthropology

Title: An ethnographic study of identity and belonging for Migrants.

Research Question: To what extent does the cultural orientation of a migrant affect

their sense of belonging in Delhi-NCR?

Word Count: 3,861

1
Table of Contents

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………… 3

Methodology ………………………………………………………………………. 6

• Type of Study ………………………………………………………………. 6

• Ethnographies ………………………………………………………………. 6

• Population ………………………………………………………………….. 7

• Techniques …………………………………………………………………. 8

• Ethical Considerations ……………………………………………………... 8

• Limitations …………………………………………………………………. 9

Theoretical Framework …………………………………………………………….. 11

• Development ……………………………………………………………….. 11

• Structural Functionalism …………………………………………………… 13

• Structural Violence …………………………………………………………. 14

• Identity ……………………………………………………………………... 15

Data Analysis ………………………………………………………………………. 16

Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………. 19

Works Cited …………………………………………………………………………21

Appendices…………………………………………………………………………. 24

• Appendix A ………………………………………………………………… 24

• Appendix B ………………………………………………………………… 27

2
Introduction

“Migration is an equilibrium process which reduces regional disparities at

different stages of development.”1 It is a social process of which human agency and

social networks are crucial aspects. It is economically driven, as it has to support

options for livelihood; it is also cultural as it takes into account enculturation and

assimilation. This is especially crucial when migration takes place in India, because in

a country as geographically vast as ours, it is not possible for only one culture to exist.

India therefore has a plurality of culture, meaning that there are multiple cultures that

exist in the country at the same time, rather than just one.2 India could therefore be

known as a land of unity in diversity because there are people from various sects,

castes, religions, and cultures that come together through migration to co-exist.3

Internal Migration, as discussed in this essay, is the movement of humans

within a nation.4 In 1951, when the country was relatively immobile, with very little

connectivity, renowned demographer Kingsley Davis estimated that three out of every

ten Indians migrate internally.5 India’s National Capital, New Delhi is one of the

country’s main metropolitan cities. Being the largest commercial capital and the most

densely populated city in Northern India, it is defined as a cosmopolitan on

parameters of cultural diversity, economic growth, and infrastructural development,

1 Singpur, Dr Dineshappa, and K N Sreenivasa. “The Social Impacts of Migration in India.”

International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 2014, p. 19.
2
Guru, Shishya. “What Is Meant by Plurality of Culture? Can Indian Culture Be Termed as Plural?”
Owlgen - Best Answer for Every Question, 20 Feb. 2017, www.owlgen.com/question/what-is-meant-
by-plurality-of-culture-can-indian-culture-be-termed-as-plural. Accessed 20 May 2018.
3
“Cultural Diversity in India.” UJA Chartered Accountants Audit Tax Legal Advisory,
uja.in/en/cultural-diversity-india/. Accessed 20 May 2018.
4
Singpur, Dr Dineshappa, and K N Sreenivasa. “The Social Impacts of Migration in India.”
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 2014, pp. 19–20.
5
Kaur, Ramandeep. “Issue of Migration and Migrants in Delhi.” India Large Color Map, 23 Dec.
2014, www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/cities/issue-of-migration-and-migrants-in-delhi. Accessed 20
May 2018.

3
as well as being an educational hub, centres for governance and systems of law and

justice.

Over time, as India’s development progressed, internal migration became

increasingly prevalent and by 2001, Delhi’s population had approximately 45% of

India’s migrants.6 In 2013, as a result of the Government of Delhi’s estimate that

around 75,000 people migrate to Delhi every year, the state government theorised that

developing The National Capital Region, commonly referred to as the NCR, (which

encompasses parts of the surrounding states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and

Rajasthan)7 would re-distribute pressure from Delhi to adjoining areas in the NCR.8

Therefore, “it’s not only the Capital, the NCR has also become a popular destination

for migrants” — data on migration from the 2011 Census shows a 29% increase in

migrant population from 2001-2011 in Gurugram, Haryana.9

There are essentially four types of internal migration streams: rural to rural,

rural to urban, urban to urban, and urban to rural.10 The result of this demographic

change is urbanization,11 the process by which populations move from rural to urban

areas, enabling towns to grow.12 Access to ample opportunities for employment,

6
Kaur, Ramandeep. “Issue of Migration and Migrants in Delhi.” My India, 23 Dec. 2014,
www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/cities/issue-of-migration-and-migrants-in-delhi. Accessed 20 May
2018.
7
“NCR Constituent Areas” National Capital Region Planning Board (Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs, Government of India), 2017,
web.archive.org/web/20171224112650/ncrpb.nic.in/ncrconstituent.php.
Accessed 20 May 2018.
8
“Delhi Human Development Report 2013”. Government of Delhi, 2013, pp. 215–215.
9
Gupta, Moushumi Das. “Delhi, Gurgaon, Gautam Buddh Nagar Favourite with Migrants: Economic
Survey.” Hindustan Times, 5 Feb. 2017, www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/delhi-gurgaon-gautam-
buddh-nagar-favourite-with-migrants-economic-survey/story-d1i4C0zMJfA8HMjDfptyyK.html.
Accessed 20 May 2018.
10
Singpur, Dineshappa, and Sreenivasa, K. N. “The Social Impacts of Migration in India.”
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 2014, pp. 20–20.
11
Sharma, Krishnavatar. “India Has 139 Million Internal Migrants. They Must Not Be Forgotten.”
World Economic Forum, 1 Oct. 2017, www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/10/india-has-139-million-
internal-migrants-we-must-not-forget-them/. Accessed 20 May 2018.
12
Rinkesh. “Causes, Effects and Solutions to Urbanization.” Conserve Energy Future, 25 Dec. 2016,
www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-urbanization.php. Accessed 20 May 2018.

4
education, good health facilities, and a better lifestyle encourages people to migrate

from all over the country.

However, migration has a far-reaching effect that is not just economic in

nature: it impacts all of our needs, in totality. Everyone steps in from different cultural

contexts and how they identify with their new place of residence depends on their

cultural acceptance. This further shapes their sense of belonging in their place of

migration — in this case, Delhi-NCR. This leads me to my research question: To

what extent does the cultural orientation affect the sense of belonging in Delhi-

NCR?

5
Methodology

Type of Study

This essay explores how migrants process their sense of belonging in Delhi-

NCR via reviewing secondary data, which is further supported by the collection of

primary data. It is mainly focused on two ethnographies: Duncan McDuie-Ra’s

“Northeast Migrants in Delhi – Race, Refuge and Retail” and, from Anthropology

Quarterly, Nina Glick Schiller’s “From Immigrant to Transmigrant: Theorizing

Transnational Migration.” The understanding and relevance of these two

ethnographies for my research essay are backed by primary data collected via

questionnaires to gather first-hand perspectives on the extent to which cultural

orientation affects the sense of belonging a migrant feels in Delhi-NCR.

Furthermore, I aim to study the link between the reasons for migrating to

Delhi-NCR and how it in turn affects their sense of belonging through the course of

this essay. This definitely helped in tracing the process of development and

assimilation (or lack thereof) of migrant individuals/communities and their impact on

the society and cultural amalgamation of Delhi-NCR.

Ethnographies

“Northeast Migrants in Delhi – Race, Refuge and Retail” is an ethnography

that gives “insights into what it means to belong to distinct ethnic minority

community” in Delhi-NCR.13 Even though it primarily focuses on Northeast migrants

it interestingly explores important aspects of the causes of migration in depth and,

more specifically, reasons for migrating to Delhi.

Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Introduction.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race, Refuge and Retail, IIAS /
13

Amsterdam University Press, 2012, p. 14.

6
 The principal concept examined in “From Immigrant to Transmigrant:

Theorizing Transnational Migration” is that of transmigration. “Transmigrants are

immigrants whose daily lives depend on multiple and constant interconnections

across borders and whose public identities are configured in relationship to more than

one nation-state.”14 This ethnography was particularly interesting and relevant as it

looked at migrants having a sense of belonging with more than one place: their place

of residence (in this case Delhi-NCR) and their hometown. It relates to my area of

study, as with the increase in development and connectivity, it is easier for migrants

to shift without leaving behind their hometown, thereby making the process of

migration easier. Furthermore, it also looks at how transmigration impacts the place

of residency of the migrants.

Population

The sample size for my primary research is 60 participants, split equally into

the migrant population of Delhi-NCR and the local population of Delhi-NCR. They

are further divided into three age groups – 18-35, 35-55, and 55+.

The participants have been split into two groups in order to understand the

way migrants feel about Delhi-NCR as their area of settlement, and also study the

attitude towards them within the local population. This helped gain a more holistic

insight into the social integration, or the lack of it, in Delhi-NCR. Additionally, the

responses collated from the different groups helped eliminate the pitfall of a lopsided

perspective and was reflective of a two-sided worldview based on the perspectives of

both groups of respondents.

Schiller, Nina Glick. “From Immigrant to Transmigrant: Theorizing Transnational Migration.”

14

Anthropological Quarterly, 68th Edition, January 1995. p.48

7
Techniques

I chose these two ethnographies because I wanted to explore the way in which

these patterns of migration play out within migrant as well as local communities

around me. These two ethnographies do just that. As discussed above “Northeast

Migrants: Race, Refuge and Retail”, looks at reasons for migrating to Delhi, while “in

“From Immigrant to Transmigrant: Theorizing Transnational Migration” explores

transmigration. Furthermore, these two ethnographies explore not only the experience

these migrants face in their new place of residence and back home, but also how the

local population respond to them and the impact migration has on them.

I conducted my primary research via questionnaires (see Appendices), which

aimed to generate a well-balanced and larger overview. So they were therefore a

blend of both close-ended multiple-choice questions, as well as open-ended

responses. I chose this format for my questionnaire because it did “not limit

respondents”, instead allowed them to apply their own experiences.15 With the

consent of the respondent, the responses were compiled on Google Forms.

Furthermore, I was a participant observer in the setting of this research paper.

I did this by observing the experience of migrants around me, and the attitude the

locals had towards them. This helped me broaden my perspective, validate data

collected, and make better assumptions about the area of my study.

Ethical Considerations

15
Pritchard, Martin. “Semi-Structured (Qualitative) Interview Checklist.” Semi-Structured Interview,
evaluationtoolbox.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31&Itemid=137. Accessed
4 June 2018.

8
 While deciding my sample size, I ensured that all respondents were of legal

age, i.e. 18 years. I did this to ensure that they have independent decision-making

ability and are mature enough to deal with the issue at hand. Also, the questionnaires

were only sent out to those who were eager to participate and gave informed consent.

Additionally, since these questionnaires were sent out online I made the

purpose of my study clear right at the beginning. I outlined the aim and intentions of

the study through a message description, stating that I am a student of social and

cultural anthropology conducting research for my extended essay. I also assured them

that their identity would remain anonymous and responses confidential. I

documented their responses and conducted data analysis through Google Forms to

ensure anonymity.

Unavoidably, the topic of my study is an emotional one as it could potentially

strike a deep chord with respondent’s feelings. Therefore, though my questionnaire

addressed the issues of belongingness faced by both migrants and local population; I

tried my best to ensure that the questions were not personal but instead as objective as

possible.

Limitations

The sense of belonging one feels is very personal and lends itself to some

amount of subjectivity. Despite constant reiteration on the importance of maintaining

objectivity, there still may be a tendency for generalising and drawing broad

conclusions regarding the level of belongingness of a migrant feels in Delhi-NCR.

One of my ethnographies, “Northeast migrants in Delhi: Race, Refuge and

Retail” primarily focuses on Northeast migrants and their experience in the city. This

could potentially create a bias, as other migrant communities may experience the city

9
in different ways. However, I tried my best to apply the portions, which were

applicable to migrants in general and were not specific to just the Northeast. Also I

only made references to those aspects that I could support with my primary data

collection.

In spite of setting a large sample size to gather diverse perspectives, the

respondents may be limited to my socioeconomic group. Therefore, this study

pertains primarily to the middle class; the sense of belonging felt by people belonging

to other sections of society may vary. Additionally, since primary data collection was

only conducted through questionnaires, there was no scope for further questioning

once I received responses.

Furthermore, my limited experience with anthropological fieldwork may

manifest in the methodology of data collection through primary research. The

vastness of my topic is something that lends itself to research on a wider level as well.

10
Theoretical Framework

Migration is affected and affects multiple anthropological theories and

concepts. In order to ensure my essay is specific to the sense of belonging felt by a

migrant I narrowed these theories and concepts to the following:

Development

Development “is often strongly linked to economic growth … in which

societies or communities are sometimes compared and then positioned at different

‘stages’ of an evolutionary development schema.”16 This has multiple layers that go

deeper than its initial interpretation. When looked at through a Durkheimian

perspective, development is “associated with ideas about the increasing social,

economic, and political complexity in transitions from ‘traditional’ to ‘modern’

societies.”17 This perspective is in tandem with my research.

While conducting primary research, I found that 57.6% respondents felt that

modern day Delhi-NCR has completely changed from the Delhi-NCR they grew up

in. A root cause of this is the “urban transformation” caused by the inflow of

migrants. Being one of the best destinations for education and job opportunities in

India, Delhi-NCR has not only become a region where one comes to pursue dreams

but also to encounter mainstream India.18

Delhi-NCR is swiftly moving towards becoming a ‘global city’. This

advancement has led to infrastructure being built “rapidly to allow all people (and)

resources to conduct themselves in productive work with a better quality of life, living

16
Lewis, D. “Anthropology and development: the uneasy relationship.” LSE Research Online, 2005.
eprints.lse.ac.uk/253/. Accessed 29 July 2018.
17
Lewis, D. “Anthropology and development: the uneasy relationship.” LSE Research Online, 2005.
eprints.lse.ac.uk/253/. Accessed 29 July 2018.
18
Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Coming to Delhi.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race, Refuge and Retail,
IIAS / Amsterdam University Press, 2012, pp. 67.

11
in a sustainable environment.”19 Over the past few years, Delhi’s infrastructure

(flyovers, the Delhi Metro, roads, high capacity buses, hotels, hospitals, etc) has seen

major improvement and has in turn started attracting multinational corporations from

around the world. Delhi’s infrastructure allows it to now classify as a ‘modern’ city.20

However, it isn’t just infrastructure that aids this transformation. India is said to be the

seventh largest economy in the world, along with radical shifts in politics,

policymaking, diplomacy, digitalization, arts, and even sports over the past decade or

so.21 Delhi, being the national capital, is at the heart of these changes.

Development has also had an impact on families structures as a “multiplicity

of new family forms”, also known as contemporary families have emerged in

response to the changing demographic, economic, and social conditions.22 This has

lead to families that were traditionally joint families (those families where three or

more generations live together) to become nuclear (those families where only two

generations love together). For example, 13.9% migrants left their hometown post

marriage. This development has therefore created a change in migration patterns

because “where once migration was reserved for the elite and was primarily for the

purposes of education, migrants now come from a much broader set of circumstances

and migrate for education, work, and refuge.”23

19
Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Coming to Delhi.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race, Refuge and Retail,
IIAS / Amsterdam University Press, 2012, pp. 61-67.
20
“Delhi Infrastructure | Delhi Growth | Improved Facilities Available in Delhi.” Delhi Tourism: Map,
Places to Visit, Hotels, Weekend Getaways, Delhi Metro, Sightseeing, 2013,
www.delhicapital.com/delhi-infrastructure/. Accessed 28 July 2018.
21
Owen, James. “10 Ways India Has Changed Over The Last Decade.” Forbes Magazine, 28 Nov.
2017, www.forbes.com/sites/riskmap/2017/11/28/10-ways-india-has-changed-over-the-last-
decade/#3b7b061e3455. Accessed 28 July 2018
22
Ruppanner, Leah. “Contemporary Family Issues.” Oxford Bibliographies Online Datasets, 2015,
doi:10.1093/obo/9780199756384-0122. Accessed 29 July 2018.
23
Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Leaving the Northeast.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race, Refuge and
Retail, IIAS / Amsterdam University Press, 2012, p. 46.

12
Structural Functionalism

Structural Functionalism believes that a society is a super structure comprising

sub-parts that exist independently. However, they are all functionally interrelated and

interdependent as they work together in cooperation to maintain overall stability of a

society. This ensures the fulfilment of an array of needs for individuals, both

biological and social. According to Robert Merton, manifest functions are the direct

consequences of social processes whereas latent functions are the unsought

consequences.24

As discussed above, Delhi-NCR has developed drastically over the past

decade. As a result the infrastructure have also developed – this would be a manifest

function. In tandem with this, I noticed through my primary data collection that

78.8% of the local population believed that the growth of Delhi-NCR’s economy has

helped its original inhabitants as well. Thus, in contradiction to migration patterns in

many places, in spite of the pressure migration causes in Delhi-NCR, the economic

growth increases job opportunity for both the migrant and local population.

Furthermore, increased connectivity has “bridged the distance and means

migrants and their families reassess the risks and costs of migration in new ways.”25

This is because although they are “incorporated into the economy, political

institutions, localities, and patterns of daily life of the” place they live in, they

“maintain connections, build institutions, conduct transactions, and influence local

and national events” from their hometowns.26 This would be a latent function.

24
“Sociological Paradigm #1: Functionalism.” Lumen Learning, Lumen,
courses.lumenlearning.com/alamo-sociology/chapter/functionalism/. Accessed 1 September 2018.
25
Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Leaving the Northeast.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race, Refuge and
Retail, IIAS / Amsterdam University Press, 2012, p. 59.
26
Schiller, Nina Glick. “From Immigrant to Transmigrant: Theorizing Transnational Migration.”
Anthropological Quarterly, 68th Edition, January 1995. p.48.

13
Structural Violence

Coined by Johan Gultang, structural violence is “the negative power of social

institutions and systems of social organization among marginalized communities.” 27

It enhances the analysis of the social, political, economic, and historic factors that

shape inequality and suffering for both individuals and communities. 28 It gives

insight on the different types of marginalisation and the role it plays in creating lived

experiences that are fundamentally less equal. This inequality is often highlighted in

migration.

India is a country made up of 29 states and therefore has a multitude of diverse

peoples from different ethnic lineages. This diversity often creates disparity as it

forms different groups and the more different or marginalized a group is, the more

prejudice and discrimination they experience when they migrate.29 While conducting

primary research, I noticed that 27.8% of the migrant population felt different because

of the way they spoke, 11.1% weren’t certain, and 44.1% felt that their cultural

orientation gave them a distinct identity in Delhi-NCR, while 25% weren’t certain.

“Racial differences denote peripheral peoples, and this is the primary way migrants

are seen and the primary determinant of how they are treated.”30 This distinction

creates the concept of ‘The Other’, alienating the minority and the marginalized. As

explored by McDuie-Ra in his ethnography, “Northeast migrants have distinctive

physical features, and these features separate them from the rest of the Indian ethnic

27
Lewis, Elizabeth. “What Is Structural Violence?” ThoughtCo., 13 Sept. 2018,
www.thoughtco.com/structural-violence-4174956. Accessed 3 September 2018.
28
Lewis, Elizabeth. “What Is Structural Violence?” ThoughtCo., 13 Sept. 2018,
www.thoughtco.com/structural-violence-4174956. Accessed 3 September 2018.
29
Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Backward, Head-hunter, Sexy, Chinky.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race,
Refuge and Retail, IIAS / Amsterdam University Press, 2012, p. 86.
30
Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Backward, Head-hunter, Sexy, Chinky.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race,
Refuge and Retail, IIAS / Amsterdam University Press, 2012, p. 87.

14
and cultural milieu in a lasting and profound way”. This difference not only sets them

apart as ‘The Other’ but also “defines and orchestrates their interactions with the city

and its inhabitants”.31

Identity

Psychologist Erik Erickson first derived the term ‘identity’ in the 1960s.

Looked at from an anthropological perspective, identity is both personal and

collective. It helps ascribe “religious, political, private, cultural, and ethic realms” to a

person. “Identity is considered a source of both cohesion and violence, and can

alternately represent sameness or difference, be an imposition or a choice, singular or

fractured, and static or fluid.”32 In this sense, identity plays a significant role in

shaping one’s sense of belonging.

Earlier, migration was associated with the idea of uprooting oneself from

one’s hometown and being incorporated into the new place of residency. It was

believed that there could be no link between these two places, and migrants would

therefore undergo a painful process of losing one identity and trading it for another.

However, now with greater connectivity caused by development, it could be said that

“migration is one of the important means through which borders and boundaries are

being contested and transgressed” because groups are no longer limited to determine

their identity through their immediate surrounding.33 These transnational ties give

migrants more than one source of identity as they associate a sense of belonging with

31
Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Backward, Head-hunter, Sexy, Chinky.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race,
Refuge and Retail, IIAS / Amsterdam University Press, 2012, p. 89.
32
Griffiths, Melanie. “Identity.” Oxford Bibliographies Online Datasets, 2015,
doi:10.1093/obo/9780199766567-0128. Accessed 24 Sept 2018.
33
Schiller, Nina Glick. “From Immigrant to Transmigrant: Theorizing Transnational Migration.”
Anthropological Quarterly, 68th Edition, January 1995. p.50.

15
more than just one place. This was seen in my primary data collection as well,

because 41,7% respondents said they associate both places with the idea of home.

16
Data Analysis

As discussed in my methodology, I conducted primary data collection through

questionnaires containing both open and close-ended questions for both local and

migrant inhabitants of Delhi-NCR to support the data from the two selected

ethnographies.

I noticed that 38.9% of migrants moved to Delhi-NCR for education and

16.7% moved for occupation. This finding was in line with McDuie-Ra’s reasons for

coming to Delhi – job prospects, education, and the prestige linked to living in

Delhi.34 The increase in development opened an array of opportunities that lured

migrants from around India. With some of the best institutions in the country and

ample job opportunities, migrating here was not only easy but also, in a way,

improved a migrant’s social standing back home.

Through my findings, I realised that although 75.8% of the local respondents

felt that it was easy to embrace migrants into Delhi-NCR, 44.4% of migrants felt they

have a distinct identity due to their cultural orientation in the city. In my opinion, this

could be because migrants are often seen as different. Therefore, despite there being

an acceptance of the migration that is taking place, there may still a notion of ‘The

Self’ and ‘The Other’ that gets created between the two groups. This essentially

means that there is a distinction that separates the two groups, giving them different

collective identities. In the questionnaires, a respondent shared that they “still have

not adjusted to Delhi-NCR” — this could perhaps be a reason for that. As McDuie-Ra

states, “the feeling of exception is experienced with such frequency and poignancy by

34
Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Coming to Delhi.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race, Refuge and Retail,
IIAS / Amsterdam University Press, 2012, p. 77.

17
migrants that it defines and orchestrates their interactions with the city and its

inhabitants”.35

Similarly, when asked whom they spend most of their free time with in the

questionnaires, 45.4% of the local inhabitants said friends, while only 11.1% of the

migrants responded saying friends and 39.4% of the locals said family where as

77.8% of the migrant inhabitants said family. This contrast could suggest that while

the locals are more comfortable spending time with their friends in the city, most

migrants prefer staying with those that are close to them, perhaps because they feel

isolated in a public setting. As a migrant shared with McDuie-Ra, “as a migrant he

would never be able to comment on [Delhi-NCR] to people born in the city and be

taken seriously”. This could suggest that though incorporated into the city, the way

they inhabit it depends on their cultural orientation.

Furthermore, another respondent shared through the questionnaires that they

weren’t happy here in Delhi-NCR because it wasn’t their hometown. Though 90.9%

people feel that Delhi-NCR has developed and has physically enhanced over the past

years, only 9.1% people feel that it is culturally enriched. This is interesting because

despite Delhi-NCR becoming a migration hub, 47.2% migrants’ feel that their culture

is welcomed only a bit by the locals. This, in turn, causes migrants to miss their

hometown and maintain strong connections with it even after they leave. A way they

do this is by living in close-knit communities; for example, many Bengalis live

together in an area known as Chittaranjan Park, which is commonly known as a

miniature version of Bengal within Delhi. This creates the idea of imagined

communities — a community that is, to some extent, constructed in the minds of the

35
Mcduie-ra, Duncan. “Backward, Head-hunter, Sexy, Chinky.” Northeast Migrants in Delhi - Race,
Refuge and Retail, IIAS / Amsterdam University Press, 2012, p. 89.

18
people who consider themselves to belong to it, that help them keep in touch with

both their culture and hometown.36 Additionally, most respondents said that they visit

their hometown at least once a year if not more, indicating that they keep up their

relationship with their hometown once they have migrated. As Schiller describes, a

reason for this could be the “insecurity of (being) the newcomers and their

descendants” in their place of residency, in this case Delhi-NCR. The increase in

connectivity has helped migrants “preserve their culture, custom, and identity yet be

fully embedded in” the place they reside.37

Though 80.1% of the migrant inhabitants are happy living in Delhi, when I

asked them which place they associate with ‘home’, 41.7% responded saying they

associate both their hometown and Delhi-NCR with it. This shows that the migrants

have strong connects with both their place of residency and their original hometown.

Schiller describes transmigrants as migrants who are “firmly rooted” in their place of

residency while “maintaining multiple linkages to their homeland”. Therefore, these

migrants are carrying out the process of transmigration.38 This process causes

migrants to have more than one source of belonging and gives them multiple sub-

identities as it constructs their membership into multiple societies, overlapping and

submerged.

36
Benedict Richard Andersen, “Introduction.” Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and
Spread of Nationalism, Revised Edition ed., Verso, 1983, pp. 8–9.
37
Schiller, Nina Glick. “From Immigrant to Transmigrant: Theorizing Transnational Migration.”
Anthropological Quarterly, 68th Edition, January 1995. pp. 50-51.
38
Schiller, Nina Glick. “From Immigrant to Transmigrant: Theorizing Transnational Migration.”
Anthropological Quarterly, 68th Edition, January 1995. p. 48.

19
Conclusion

Migration is a continuous outcome of the process of development. Notions of

development keep changing with time and so do patterns of migration. In the context

of my essay, migration is a key product of development that is here to stay.

Accelerated infrastructure growth, employment and educational opportunities,

and cultural integration represent the ethos of an ever-growing metropolis. Delhi-

NCR, being at the heart of these advancements, provides experiences and

opportunities that migrants pursue. This has resulted in an increase in the inflow of

migrants year after year. As a result, the cultural relativism of the local inhabitants has

also evolved. However, despite this, both migrants and the local population have had

to negotiate the politics of inclusion and exclusion; migrants have had to create their

place in their new ‘home’ while maintaining their place in their hometown, whereas

the locals have had to lose part of their ‘home’ to make place for ‘The Other’.

After going over my secondary data extensively along with my primary data, I

realised two things in particular. Firstly, many of the migrants consider migrating to

Delhi-NCR as their permanent abode for at least a decade or two. Through primary

data collection, I found that 30.6% of the migrants had settled down here and 25%

were planning to.

More importantly, through my essay, I understood that there can be more than

just one place that can affect a migrant’s sense of belonging, thereby classifying these

migrants as transmigrants due to their strong connections and sense of belonging to

both Delhi-NCR and their hometown. In this case, their responsibility to Delhi-NCR

would be as working members of this society — they might feel a sense of belonging

as a result of their monetary contribution to Delhi’s economy. In comparison, their

responsibility to their hometown may be a more personal and sentimental one and

20
their sense of belonging stems from their roots, where they have a long established

support system of love and friendship from which they are they are likely to receive

comfort and a sense of well-being.

21
Works Cited

Print Sources

Benedict Richard Andersen, “Introduction.” Imagined Communities: Reflections on

the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, Revised Edition ed., Verso, 1983.

Delhi Human Development Report 2013. Government of Delhi, 2013, Delhi Human

Development Report 2013.

McDuie-Ra, Duncan. “Northeast Migrants in Delhi: Race, Refuge and Retail.”

Amsterdam University Press, 2013.

Schiller, Nina Glick. “From Immigrant to Transmigrant: Theorizing Transnational

Migration.” Anthropological Quarterly, 68th Edition, January 1995.

Singpur, Dr Dineshappa, and Sreenivasa K N. “The Social Impacts of Migration in

India.” Government First Grade College, Hangal and Government First

Grade College, Baada, Kumta Karnataka, India. , International Journal of

Humanities and Social Science Invention, 2014.

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“Cultural Diversity in India.” UJA Chartered Accountants Audit Tax Legal Advisory,

uja.in/en/cultural-diversity-india/. Accessed 20 May 2018.

“Delhi Infrastructure | Delhi Growth | Improved Facilities Available in Delhi.” Delhi

Tourism: Map, Places to Visit, Hotels, Weekend Getaways, Delhi Metro,

Sightseeing, 2013, www.delhicapital.com/delhi-infrastructure/. Accessed 28

July 2018.

“NCR Constituent Areas.” National Capital Region Planning Board (Ministry of

Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India), Government of India,

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 2017,

web.archive.org/web/20171224112650/http://ncrpb.nic.in/ncrconstituent.php.

Accessed 20 May 2018.

“Sociological Paradigm #1: Functionalism.” Lumen Learning, Lumen,

courses.lumenlearning.com/alamo-sociology/chapter/functionalism/. Accessed

1 September 2018.

Griffiths, Melanie. “Identity.” Oxford Bibliographies Online Datasets, 2015,

doi:10.1093/obo/9780199766567-0128. Accessed 24 Sept 2018.

Gupta, Moushumi Das. “Delhi, Gurgaon, Gautam Buddh Nagar Favourite with

Migrants: Economic Survey.” Https://Www.hindustantimes.com/, Hindustan

Times, 5 Feb. 2017, www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/delhi-gurgaon-

gautam-buddh-nagar-favourite-with-migrants-economic-survey/story-

d1i4C0zMJfA8HMjDfptyyK.html. Accessed 20 May 2018.

Guru, Shishya. “What Is Meant by Plurality of Culture? Can Indian Culture Be

Termed as Plural?” Owlgen - Best Answer for Every Question, 20 Feb. 2017,

www.owlgen.com/question/what-is-meant-by-plurality-of-culture-can-indian-

culture-be-termed-as-plural. Accessed 20 May 2018.

Kaur, Ramandeep. “Issue of Migration and Migrants in Delhi.” India Large Color

Map, 23 Dec. 2014, www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/cities/issue-of-

migration-and-migrants-in-delhi. Accessed 20 May 2018.

Kaur, Ramandeep. “Issue of Migration and Migrants in Delhi.” My India, My India,

23 Dec. 2014, www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/cities/issue-of-migration-and-

migrants-in-delhi. Accessed 20 May 2018.

Lewis, D. “Anthropology and development: the uneasy relationship.” LSE Research

Online, 2005. http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/253/. Accessed 29 July 2018.

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Lewis, Elizabeth. “What Is Structural Violence?” ThoughtCo., 13 Sept. 2018,

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Owen, James. “10 Ways India Has Changed Over The Last Decade.” Forbes, Forbes

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ways-india-has-changed-over-the-last-decade/#3b7b061e3455. Accessed 28

July 2018.

Pritchard, Martin. “Semi-Structured (Qualitative) Interview Checklist.” Semi-

Structured Interview,

evaluationtoolbox.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3

1&Itemid=137. Accessed 4 June 2018.

Rinkesh. “Causes, Effects and Solutions to Urbanization.” Conserve Energy Future,

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24
Appendices

Appendix A: Questionnaire for Migrant Inhabitants in Delhi-NCR

1) Which age bracket do you belong to?

A. 18-35

B. 35-55

C. 55+

2) Where is your hometown?

3) Where did you receive your education (primary and higher)?

4) What is your highest-level of education?

A. Middle School

B. High School

C. Undergraduate

D. Postgraduate

E. Further

5) Is Hindi your mother tongue?

A. Yes

B. No

6) If you said no, what is your mother tongue?

7) Do you think regional accent is reflected in your spoken English or Hindi?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

8) Do you feel differentiated because of the way you speak?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

25
8) What language did you speak in your hometown?

9) What other languages do you converse in now?

10) How long has it been since you left your hometown?

11) What were the reasons for you leaving your hometown?

A. Occupation

B. Education

C. Marriage

D. Change in lifestyle

E. Other

12) What does your daily routine look like?

13) What do you do in your free time?

14) Who do you normally spend time with here in Delhi-NCR?

A. Family

B. Friends

C. By myself

D. Other

15) Are you happy here in Delhi-NCR?

A. Yes

B. No

16) If you said no, why?

17) Do you miss your hometown?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Sometimes

18) How often do you visit your hometown?

19) Do you associate the idea of “home” with your place of residence, in Delhi-NCR,

or your hometown?

A. Delhi-NCR

26
 B. Hometown

C. Both

D. Neither

20) Do you feel that your culture is welcomed in Delhi-NCR?

A. Yes

B. No

C. A little bit

21) Does your cultural orientation give you a distinct identity in Delhi-NCR?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

22) Can you see yourself settling down here in Delhi-NCR for good?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

D. I’ve already settled down here

To find results go to:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16ctBzHcnAMRGZHLqrITnMYNr3hVMcuBaJmMvhz

sI3_s/edit#responses

27
Appendix B: Questionnaire for Local Inhabitants in Delhi-NCR

1) Which age bracket do you belong to?

A. 18-35

B. 35-55

C. 55+

2) Where did you receive your education?

3) What is your highest level of education?

A. Middle School

B. High School

C. Undergraduate

D. Postgraduate

E. Further

4) Is Hindi your native language?

A. Yes

B. No

5) If you said no, what is your native language?

6) Which language are you most comfortable speaking in?

7) Have you ever been discriminated against because of the way you speak?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

8) Did you mostly grow up in Delhi-NCR or near vicinity?

9) How different is modern day Delhi-NCR from the Delhi-NCR you grew up in?

A. It’s completely changed

B. It’s moderately changed

C. It hasn’t changed at all

D. Other

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10) Do you find it difficult to embrace the newcomers (migrants) to your town?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Sometimes

11) What does your daily routine look like?

12) What do you do in your free time?

13) Who do you normally spend time with here in Delhi-NCR?

A. Family

B. Friends

C. By Myself

D. Other

14) Are there people in your friend circle that are not originally from Delhi-NCR or this

vicinity (a migrant)?

A. Yes

B. No

15) Has the growth of Delhi-NCR as an MNC helped its original inhabitants?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

16) Do you feel Delhi-NCR is more physically enhanced or culturally enriched?

A. Physically Enhanced

B. Culturally Enriched

17) Are you happy here in Delhi-NCR?

A. Yes

B. No

18) If you said no, why?

19) Do you associate the idea of “home” with Delhi-NCR?

29
 A. Yes

B. No

20) Can you see yourself settling down here in Delhi-NCR for good?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

D. I’ve already settled down here

To find results go to:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1RdNGzMMKvMN9PCBsm1DXgBihXC_ONs-

Gr2ANrfuZL6o/edit#responses

30