[csaa-forum] CFP - South Asian Diaspora in Singapore

[Vijay Devadas]

*********CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS******

South Asian Diaspora in Singapore

Vijay Devadas & Selvaraj Velayutham (eds.)

The South Asian diaspora is arguably the fastest-growing diasporic  
community in the world, conservatively estimated at 20 million with  
the largest concentrations in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, North  
America, Southeast Asia, and South Africa. They constitutively make  
up over 50% of the diasporic fraternity with the rest largely  
distributed in Europe (primarily United Kingdom), East Africa, the  
Caribbean, Mauritius (and the Southwest Indian Ocean islands), and  
Australasia. The subject of the South Asian diaspora has been widely  
discussed in academic writings, government circles, economic forums,  
literary writings, film and media productions, and so on and so  
forth. Underwriting these heterogeneous discussions is the general  
trope of a relationship between home and abroad: the foundational  
trope of diaspora studies.

In Singapore, the South Asian Diaspora is currently estimated at 8.4  
% (approximately 300 000) of the total population (3.5 million). In  
terms of historical trajectories of migration, the South Asian  
diaspora in Singapore provides a distinctive case study when compared  
to the more recent diasporic communities in the United States and  
Europe, or those communities linked to indenture as in the case of  
the Caribbean, Fiji or Mauritius. What distinguishes the South Asian  
diaspora in Singapore when compared to the rest is that it is the  
outcome of migration streams that have encompassed both the colonial  
and postcolonial period(s). Studies of the South Asian diaspora in  
Singapore, however, have largely been confined to historically driven  
works that are focused on the colonial period (Sandhu, Arasaratnam).   
These works, alongside others, inform of developments in the  
immediate post-independence period (Sandhu, Mani, Siddique & Pura  
Shotam, etc.), provide the mainstay of the literature on the South  
Asian diaspora in Singapore. However, to date, there are no works  
that focus on the South Asian diasporic communities of Singapore.

This volume seeks to offer an in depth study and analysis of the  
diasporic practices of the Singaporean South Asian communities. We  
invite contributions that focus on specific Singapore South Asian  
community and address the group's diasporic connections, networks,  
relationships, cultural productions & consumption practices. The  
following themes are of interest to us:

- 'Old' diaspora, 'New' diaspora, Skilled Migration, Temporary Migrants

- Gender/Sexuality/Nation/Ethnic/Linguistic/Religious identities

- Economic partnerships

- Food/Rituals/Customs

- Affect/Embodiment/Senses

- Literature/ Language/Media/Cinema

- Youth culture/Popular Culture

- Theatre/Performance/Visual Arts/Sports

- Diasporic spaces/places

- Land, Home and Belonging

- Diasporic Memory

- Nation, nationalism, cultural policies

- Virtual Communities, New Media

Other themes are also welcomed.

Please send a proposed title, a 500-word abstract  and a short bio by  
1 December 2006 to vijay.devadas at stonebow.otago.ac.nz.

  Accepted contributions (7,000 words) will have to be completed by 1  
July 2007 with a view to publication in late 2008/early 2009. We have  
received expression of interest from a couple of publishers.

  For all enquiries, please contact selvaraj.velayutham at scmp.mq.edu.au






  
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