Working Papers www.mmg.mpg.de/workingpapers MMG Working Paper 13-04 ● ISSN 2192-2357 SUMEET MHASKAR Indian Muslims in a Global City: Socio-Political Effects on Economic Preferences in Contemporary Mumbai Religious and Ethnic Diversity und multiethnischer Gesellschaften Max Planck Institute for the Study of Max Planck Institute for the Study of Max-Planck-Institut zur Erforschung multireligiöser Sumeet Mhaskar Indian Muslims in a Global City: Socio-Political Effects on Economic Preferences in Contemporary Mumbai MMG Working Paper 13-04 Max-Planck-Institut zur Erforschung multireligiöser und multiethnischer Gesellschaften, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity Göttingen © 2013 by the author ISSN 2192-2357 (MMG Working Papers Print) Working Papers are the work of staff members as well as visitors to the Institute’s events. The analyses and opinions presented in the papers do not reflect those of the Institute but are those of the author alone. Download: www.mmg.mpg.de/workingpapers MPI zur Erforschung multireligiöser und multiethnischer Gesellschaften MPI for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Göttingen Hermann-Föge-Weg 11, 37073 Göttingen, Germany Tel.: +49 (551) 4956 - 0 Fax: +49 (551) 4956 - 170 www.mmg.mpg.de
[email protected] Abstract This paper examines the effects of socio-political processes on economic preferences in Mumbai by focussing on the case of Muslim ex-millworkers. The argument of this paper is that the feeling of karahiyat [Urdu: nausea, disgust, hate, etc.] com- bined with suspicion, in terms of terrorism and mafia, creates barriers for Muslims’ employment and self-employment opportunities. The argument is substantiated by using the survey data of 924 ex-millworkers and in-depth interviews with 80 ex-mill- workers collected during 2008-09 and 2010-11.