Movements across Borders: South Asian / Indian Diaspora Youth in Scandinavia

Abstract

The article explores social psychological aspects concerned with diasporic relationships among the South Asian diaspora in Denmark and is a follow up of a project conducted in the mid-nineties. The first wave focussed on the intergenerational relations within the double challenge perspective dealing with age transition and ethnic belonging while the second wave focuses at the relationships across the borders within a theoretical framework of life course perspectives combined with diaspora conceptualisations. In-depth interviews were conducted and analysed through meaning condensation. The gendered experiences of the young adults perceived as active actors indicate reinterpretation of the self, others and home. The results depict that the young adults‘ relationships involve both the country of origin and the Danish welfare society, though refutes the myth of return, in spite of Denmark turning increasingly restrictive in migration policies in the past years. How does moving across the geographical borders affect the relationships of diaspora members both here– in the country of residence and there- in the country of origin? The article delineates some of the processes through gendered experiences of the young adults perceived as active actors based on an empirical longitudinal study. The results indicate transformations in belongings and longings indicating reinterpretation of the self, others and home in context of exclusion processes at various levels.