21 – South Asian Diasporic Narratives: An Intersectional Exploration

The panel examines intersectionality in the context of South Asian diasporic writing. It proposes that most discussions of literary works from the diaspora are Indo-centric and predominantly Hindu. How do gender, sexuality, religion, diasporic location, nationality, racialization, caste, and disability shape diasporic narratives? How is intersectionality as an interpretive framework adaptable to the South Asian diasporic context? We seek to amplify voices often marginalized within South Asian diasporic studies to explore intersectional approaches to reading literary works from the diaspora. Potential topics for papers could include: • Diasporic locations beyond the US and UK • Indenture diasporas and questions of class and caste • Non anglophone writing from the South Asian diaspora • Writing for children and youth • LGBTQI narratives • Disability and representation • Caste and class in the post World War II South Asian diasporas • Dalit diasporas • Religion and diasporic narratives • Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nepali diasporas • Theorizing intersectionality in South Asian Diasporic narratives The goal of this panel is to interrogate the framework of intersectionality as it applies to South Asian diasporic narratives. We are also looking for papers that move beyond the current largely monolithic scholarship on diaspora narratives and which nuance intersectional framework as necessary to understand the heterogeneity of the community’s experiences.

Convenor

Iyer Nalini -