University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 3-21-2017 Re-ethnicization of Second Generation Non- Muslim Asian Indians in the U.S. Radha Moorthy University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Ethnic Studies Commons, South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies Commons, and the United States History Commons Scholar Commons Citation Moorthy, Radha, "Re-ethnicization of Second Generation Non-Muslim Asian Indians in the U.S." (2017). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6731 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Re-ethnicization of Second-Generation Non-Muslim Asian Indians in the U.S. by Radha Moorthy A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Government and International Affairs College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Bernd Reiter, Ph.D. Ella Schmidt, Ph.D. Nicolas Thompson, Ph.D. Date of Approval: March 10, 2017 Keywords: Re-ethnicization, Perceived Discrimination, Second-Generation Asian Indian Copyright © 2017, Radha Moorthy Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Why Are Second Generation non-Muslim Asian Indians Re-ethnicizing in the U.S. ........ 1 Hypothesis ........................................................................................................................... 4 Importance of Study ............................................................................................................ 5 Asian Indian Studies ........................................................................................................... 6 Research Design and Methodology .................................................................................. 12 Unit of Analysis ............................................................................................................... 13 Concepts and Definitions .................................................................................................. 14 Organization of Thesis ..................................................................................................... 18 Chapter 2: History of Asian Indian Immigration to the U.S. ........................................................ 21 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 21 History of Asian Indian Immigration to the U.S. in the early 1900s ................................ 22 Sikhs in Washington and Oregon ..................................................................................... 24 Sikhs in Astoria, Oregon and the Ghadar Movement ....................................................... 25 Sikhs in California early 1900s ......................................................................................... 27 Effects of U.S. Policy Towards Asians ............................................................................. 28 Sikh –Mexican Community in California ......................................................................... 30 Why Did Second Wave (1965- 1987) Asian Indians Come to the U.S. ........................... 31 Post 1965 Immigration of Asian Indians into the U.S. .................................................... 33 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 34 Chapter 3: Patterns of Immigration Incorporation into Civil Society ........................................... 35 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 35 Assimilation Theory .......................................................................................................... 35 Segmented Assimilation Theory ....................................................................................... 40 Selected Acculturation Theory ......................................................................................... 41 Multiculturalism ................................................................................................................ 42 Reactive Ethnicity Theory ................................................................................................ 44 Re-ethnicization Theory .................................................................................................... 45 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 46 Chapter 4: Re-ethnicization of Second Generation Asian Indians in the U.S. ............................. 47 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 47 Proof of Discrimination .................................................................................................... 47 Historical Discrimination of Asian Indians in the U.S. ........................................ 47 Discrimination of Asian Indians Post 1965 .......................................................... 53 i Discrimination of Second Generation Asian Indians in the U.S. ......................... 56 Discrimination and Exclusion Through Racial Labeling ...................................... 57 Racial Ambiguity of Second Generation Asian Indians Portrayed in Popular Culture ........................................................................................... 59 Transnational Racial Identity ................................................................................ 60 Systemic Discrimination in the Workplace – Economic Assimilation ................. 62 Discrimination of Asian Indians Post 9/11 ........................................................... 64 Different Pathways of Re-ethnicization to Create an Ethnic Identity ................... 68 Desi Culture .......................................................................................................... 68 Technology and Its Influence on Re-ethnicization of Second Generation Asian Indians .................................................................................................. 72 Technological Advancements in Communication .................................... 72 Hi-Tech Boom and the Increase of Asian Indian Immigration into the U.S. .............................................................................................. 75 Increase in Asian Indian Specific Stores and Restaurants .................................... 76 Temples and Asian Indian Community ................................................................ 77 Asian Indian Community Associations as Pathways for Re-ethnicization of Second Generation Asian Indians ..................................................................... 83 Regional Asian Indian Organizations and Re-ethnicization of Second Generation Asian Indians ............................................................................... 84 Professional Associations and Social Capital of Second Generation Asian Indians .................................................................................................. 85 Pan Asian Organizations ...................................................................................... 86 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 87 Chapter 5: Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 91 Theory of Re-ethnicization of Second Generation Asian Indians .................................................................................................................... 91 Possible Future Research .................................................................................................. 92 References ..................................................................................................................................... 94 ii Abstract When discussing Asian Indian population in the U.S. their economic success and scholastic achievement dominates the discourse. Despite their perceived economic and scholastic success and their status as a “model minority”, Asian Indians experience discrimination, exclusion, and marginalization from mainstream American society. These experiences of discrimination and perceived discrimination are causing second generation Asian Indians to give up on total assimilation and re-ethnicize. They are using different pathways of re-ethnicization to re-claim and to create an ethnic identity. This thesis provides evidence, through secondary sources, that Asian Indians in the U.S. do experience discrimination or perceived discrimination, and it is historic, cultural, and systemic. This thesis also uses secondary sources to explain several pathways of re-ethnicization utilized by second generation Asian Indians who have