Week 10 – Loose Ends

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog!  

In the last few weeks, I have been drafting my paper and editing my presentation, making sure the formatting and basis of my project are properly reflected in my deliverables. As I do this I have also been learning more about South Asian migration patterns to the Bay Area as I connect South Asian history and culture to South Asian American youth beyond what I have found in my interviews.  

In the book High-tech Housewives: Indian IT Workers, gendered labor, and Transmigration, Amy Bhatt discusses the way that moving to America from South Asia impacted men, women, husbands, and wives1. Because of the “American dream,” many people move to America for the success and wealth that they have the potential to earn. This was impacted by the Immigration Act of 1965, which stated that highly skilled Indians that would benefit America’s economy could be allowed into the states as long as they don’t take away jobs from current American residents. The mass migration, especially from Silicon Valley’s success in the IT industry, picked up in the 1990s, and I discovered this in my interviews as well.  

While there are exceptions, usually, men or husbands would go to America first on a work visa or for higher education programs, and from there, when they are more settled, they would bring their wives to America as well. Despite possibly already working in the technology industry in South Asia, women that were brought to America as spouses with a marriage visa often were unable to attain jobs due to the restrictions of the economy and their visa. As a result, many women remained as housewives and dependents.  

Although this does not directly impact cultural divisions that exist in India or America, understanding how migration patterns impacted generations of people and the reasons behind it helps gain a more holistic awareness of the experiences of youth of South Asian descent.  

Thank you so much for reading, and see you next week!

Citations

1. Bhatt, A. (2018). High-Tech Housewives: Indian IT Workers, Gendered Labor, And Transmigration. University Of Washington Press.