Exploring the Cultural Identities of 1.5 and 2nd Generation Pakistani Women in America

As the South Asian diaspora continues, the United States has seen an upward trend in Pakistani immigration over the past 50 years. As with all immigrant groups, particularly immigrants of color,  Pakistanis living in America will make choices regarding keeping their Pakistani culture and assimilating to the American society. As the longevity of Pakistanis living in the United States increases and the number of immigrant generations grows, the way that individuals of Pakistani origin living in America choose to self-identify will likely change overtime. Additionally, those at the intersection of being a person of color, a woman, and Muslim will have a unique experience with identity. Thus, my research will explore the ways that 1.5 and 2nd generation Pakistani women living in America choose to self-identify, and analyze why they choose to self-identify the way they do. The measures of cultural identity that will be used in the study are language, religiosity, community, education, and experiences with discrimination, and research will be conducted via one-on-one interviews with each participant. A thematic analysis will be conducted to successfully analyze the findings.