Indian Diaspora in the Age of

Globalization

Wrapping-up and Concluding Remarks

Session 10
 Key Questions
• Why is the diaspora important to an average Indian?

• What is the “moral universe” for the Indian diaspora? How

does family influence and get impacted by this moral
universe?

• To what extent is the situation of the diaspora representative

of the dilemmas facing an average Indian?

• Given the rapid transitions and the upheaval of the

traditional social order, what remains of the Indian culture &
social identity?

• What do the current socio-economic transitions ordain for the

future Indian society?
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 Our association with the diaspora
• Changing relation over the years between the diaspora and “Indians at home”
– “out of sight, out of mind” till the 70s to almost an embodiment of middle class aspiration
now
– from “brain drain” to “patriotic investors”
– simultaneously derided for losing touch with Indian-ness to being celebrated for their
ability to chase success overcoming Indian shackles/constraints
• What drives this changing perception?
– percieved shift in composition of diaspora from “labour class” to “professional middle
class”
– emigration in large numbers in the post-globalization era - almost every family of the
“discourse-setting” middle class now has a relative abroad
– recognition in many countries as the “model minority”
– coming back in large numbers / foreign returned Indians
• Diaspora as an identity in itself – irrespective of caste/class/regional
backgrounds?

Self-image of Indians (at least the aspirational middle-class) is

increasingly entangled with the identity of the diaspora 3
“Moral universe” of the diaspora (1/2)
• While aspirations often market driven, tremendous pressure to be
culturally distinctive (“Indianness”)
– Pressure to be “rooted” preserving cultural values even as they go all out to
fulfil their desires and aspirations
– Success often attributed to family, “sanskaar”, Indian values
– Family as an institution representative of the Indian nation, “family values”
being the essence of this “Indianness”

• An ideal moral universe – intrinsically connected to tradition and

nation, to be preserved at all costs
– Conflict between individual desire and social norms and expectations:
arranged/love marriages
– Normative regulation of women’s sexuality
– Constant negotiation of the possibility of retaining this Indianness in a
transnational location amidst internationalization
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“Moral universe” of the diaspora (2/2)
• “Indian” values that characterize this Indianness
– Honour: sexuality and patriarchy
– Principle of alliance: families/individuals
– Normative order of Indian kinship: patrilineal joint family, respect for
patriarchal authority and marriage as an alliance between families
– Women as the fore-bearers of Indian tradition and value
• A deep-desire to go back to the roots, at least for big occasions
• A constant and perhaps a growing critique of these Indian values –
women across ages

Diaspora represent a constant struggle to navigate, discover,

and reconcile their new identity (market driven, individualist)
with a desire to stay culturally rooted; a disciplining desire to
regulate family order, often as a battle over women’s sexuality 5
Social transitions and an Indian identity in
crisis? (1/3)
A deep desire to stay culturally
Aspiration to converse with and be rooted and distinct; a depiction of old
inter-linked to the modern world and tradition as the idea of “purity”
of values”

Organic elements of the old social A utilitarian need to assert caste

order (caste hierarchy) depleted; an identities to ensure modernist ideals
overwhelming desire to shun “pre- of equality and justice (politicization
modern” rituals and practices amidst rejection)

Heterogeneity in resources needed to

realize those aspirations, imminent
Universalization of aspirations need to pursue multiple
paths/strategies to attain the same
thing

Use of primordial identities to

further individual self-interest; both
Individualization of strategies to get
caste as kinship network for cultural
the “good things in life”
capital, and as a political
consciousness to pursue reservations
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Social transitions and an Indian identity in
crisis? (2/3)
Belief in modern notions of merit, Quest to reconcile and neutralize past
talent, hard work privilieges

Inextricable linkage to market in all Use of extra-economic coercion to

aspects of the economy extend market for land

Unequal capacities to handle

markets; increased economic
Belief in markets as a neutral
inequalities with extension of
institution
markets and largely on line of
traditional social heirarchies

An overwhelming majority stare at a

A desire to break through all
marginalized, insecure, and
shackles and comforts of traditional
precarious future with huge
order which are believed to inhibit
investments into resources
success in a modern, urbanized,
(education, livelihood portfolios)
middle-class India
that have uncertain outcomes

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Social transitions and an Indian identity in
crisis? (3/3)
A Migrating India – everyone (across
Success of migration often critically
class, caste, region) on the move to
dependent on “cultural nativism”
secure better futures

An overwhelming desire to be
modern; almost apologetic about Deep desire to stay culturally rooted
historical “primitive” and “unjust” and find virtue in the “Indiannness”
social practices

New identities contain repressive

elements of the old social order –
Rise of new identities – “family”,
discrimination, patriarchy, conflict
“Hindutva”, “Indianness”
between individualism and
conformity to norms

Ongoing social transitions have left India in a mish-mash of

identities and interests; a confluence of notions of modernity
and tradition; an exploration of individualism amidst
communitarian order – all structures under stress 8
 Things to ponder
• Likely rise in frequency and intensity of conflicts –
– A battle of interests? Often it could be camouflaged in terms of primordial
identities
– Are conflicts necessarily bad? Can they be emancipatory?

– The very presence of conflicts represents essential changes have taken place and
established power hierarchies and privileges are being challenged

• The idea of “state” as a legitimate agent of engineering social

transformation continues to take a beating
– For elites, it is increasingly a messy domain of illegitimate populist politics; an
unnecessary compromise in India’s progress towards modernity
– For subalterns, it is a biased order prone to elite capture; one that propagates
and maintains privileges of the traditional social order
 Whither caste? Whither individuality? Whither nation?
 Can state re-discover its role as a neutral legitimate agent?
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THANK YOU

10
APPENDIX

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India and its bundle of Contradictions
Overwhelming majority of
population is condemned to a
Rapid growth and increasing
miserable life in foreseeable
economic opportunities
future – “agrarian dystopia”,
and much of “informal labour”

Increased penetration of
Increase in contractualization
corporates and the organized
and informalization – rise of the
sector – retail, agro-industries,
“precariat”
IT, etc.

Returns to agriculture are thin

Rise in “land wars” with farmers
and declining; land as a source
clinging to whatever limited
of rural prosperity is losing
land they possess
relevance

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India and its bundle of Contradictions
Increased legitimacy for the idea Income and wealth prosperity
of social equality; explicit still closely align to social
commitment to breakdown of hierarchies; rise in communities
caste barriers and growing ethnicization

Extension of state machinery in

Withdrawal of the
rural and underpenetrated areas;
developmental state; decline in
increased participation in
legitimacy of political elite
political processes

Considerable progress towards

Limited impact on employment
universal education; increased
prospects; role of schools in
emphasis on schools as the
reproducing inequality?
driver of social mobility

Homogenization of workplace
Rise of “mobilized politics” to
identities to display
navigate informality and
“professionalism”; “sanitized
negotiate state welfarism
workplaces” 13
 Paradox of India’s progress on addressing
inequality
Considerable progress made
towards addressing inequality
 Economically, increased growth has
expanded opportunities, changed
lifestyles and aspirations
 Politically, democracy has deepened,
giving hitherto marginalised groups
representation and recognition
 Administratively, large state spending
on programs designed for inclusion
 Culturally, palpable change in social
consciousness - inclusion is now a
demand, not a gift
Increasing discomfort with the very
idea of equality as one constraining
progress and economic opportunities
Yet, India remains a deeply
unequal society
 Income inequalities are rising leading to
class polarization
 Caste remains an important marker for
marriage and dining; even though some
mobility is seen
 Despite reductions in poverty, an
oppressive atmosphere of social
inequality still exists
 Caste based politics remains pre-
eminent and even gaining currency
Increasing impatience with the
achievements on equality, leading to
social polarizations
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