“Beyond Homogeneity: Understanding South Asian Cultural Diversity in the Canadian Context”

South Asians represent the largest and most diverse immigrant group in Canada, originating from an array of ethnic, religious, and linguistic backgrounds spanning India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Yet, prevailing narratives in both academic literature and popular media often portray South Asians as a homogenous social group, marginalizing their internal cultural diversity. Scholars like Ghosh (2013) argue that “South Asian” is a racialized and externally imposed identity that has become an “ethnicised” and “spatially-bounded” race, obscuring the nuanced cultural heritage, historical contexts, and identity dynamics within this community. In alignment with the session’s theme, this paper examines the complex interplay between cultural diversity and migration. Drawing on data from 45 semi-structured interviews with individuals across various South Asian subgroups, it explores how cultural heritage, migration experiences, and intragroup dynamics shape and influence identity expression and community cohesion among South Asians in Canada. In doing so, it seeks to explore how a collective South Asian identity is understood, negotiated and expressed, all while still maintaining and celebrating subgroup diversity. Findings from the study aim to contribute to broader discussions on migration, identity, and inclusive policies.

References:

Ghosh, S. (2013). ‘Am I a south Asian, really?’constructing ‘south Asians’ in Canada and being south Asian in Toronto. South Asian Diaspora, 5(1), 35-55.