Diasporas Readings



Also, as stated in the website, the U.S. government has forecast a shortage of 20 million workers by 2026. The result of these is the increasing number of Asian immigrants, mostly Chinese and Indians, comprising the labor force. Within the last ten years, the Indian population in the U.S. doubled due to demand in labor together with the increase of Indians sponsoring their families. (US Immigration Facts, 2011). Two articles, Melwani (2006) and Kurien (2005) were taken into consideration about the socio-cultural adaptations of Indians in the United States Socio-cultural Assimilations In terms of psychographics (social and cultural aspect), Indians regard the family unit is considered to be more important than the individual, respect value and age, have diverse religious beliefs and are conscious of their food and beverage consumption (Chacko, 2009). Being in the Unites States, the immigrant Asian Indians have been, in one way or another, “Americanized”. Their names, food preferences, outfit and some beliefs changed as a way of adaptation and also for the mighty dollar (Melwani, 2006). The changes, adaptations while keeping their identity have become major issues for the Indians. Melwani (2006) gave different accounts about some Indians and their moral quandaries. Some of them have become chefs and restaurant owners facing the dilemma of preparing beef, which is very sacred to them, to satisfy the cravings of their Western consumers. Being vegetarians, they also try not to eat meat. Suvir Saran, a chef in New York City, stated that he never tasted what he was cooking and relied completely on his sense of touch and smell and sight and it was very tough for him. Some Indians also had no choice and tried to taste meat as part of their job which they now consider without moral tension. Other Indian businessmen also own hotels and liquor stores which serves alcoholic beverages. For them, things related to sex and sexual intercourse are considered taboo, but to those who live in America, conversations about these things are regarded as normal. There were some Indians who own shops selling sex videos, sex toys and strip shows. One of the most basic possessions of Indians also changes in America. As stated by Melwani (2006), in a lightning flash, the names of the Almighty, like Krishna, Mahesh, Vishnu and Shankar mutate into Chris, Mike, Vic and Sandy. Clothings and outfits also changed, the sari and bindi (symbol of a woman’s marital status) were now replaced with modern skirts and dresses. Indians in the corporate world now wear corporate dresses instead of saris and kaajals. According to Diditi Mitra of Brookdale Community College, as cited by Melwani (2006), the moral conundrums are negotiated not just by immigrants, but also by people in India. It is now all about negotiation. Situations were as follows: vegetarian families eat meat outside their homes. young men drink and smoke outside but not near their parents. and they eat with knife and fork with international clients but go back to eating with bare hands at home. Kurien in 2005 discussed an article about the identity struggles of second-generation Indian Americans. He cited Portes and Rumbaut (2001) stating that that the most successful strategy for such second-generation Indian Americans to follow is a process of “selective acculturation” whereby they incorporate themselves into mainstream society while retaining some of the parents’

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