Work, Family and Integration
Indian Migrant Farmers in Northern Italy
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Springer Verlag, Singapore
Published:2nd Oct '23
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This book examines the migration of Indians (mainly from the Punjab region in north India) to parts of northern Italy, especially the Emilia-Romagna region. It analyzes the mobility patterns of migrants who occupy a niche in the labour market and unpacks the forward and backward linkages that migrants imagine, experience, and endure, not only in the context of the materiality of livelihood opportunities and income generation in Italy but also through affect, as potential immigrants and then as migrants, in a territorial and imagined space. The book unravels uncertainties and anxieties about identity among youth, women, and men through in-depth interviews. It also examines a reassertion of cultural tropes that portray identity in marked and vexed ways. The book brings a mutual recognition and acceptance of diversity, or its lack, in a European nation. It stands out for its nuanced ethnographic detail, its attention to the voices of youth and women, and exploration of their relationshipwith the host community. The book, therefore, is a must-read for everybody interested in a better understanding of migration and the culture of migration in different countries.
“Thapan has written an important book—of hope and resilience—among Punjabi migrants in northern Italy. Not only is this work valuable for migration studies, sociology and cultural studies, but it also contributes towards much-needed ‘contextualised, disaggregated and intersectional understandings of migration’ (Deshingkar 2017: 119). It is the rich narratives of migrants that are the core of the book.” (Amrita Datta, Contributions to Indian Sociology, Vol. 58 (3), 2024)
“The study is about Punjabis who are both Hindu and Sikh and those who are struggling to establish themselves in a new community. It’s a well-researched study using both quantitative and ethnographic data that provides the Italian context well and shows the challenges of both work and family through a gendered lens. I recommend that it is read by scholars of migration, diaspora, and those looking at Punjabis in different parts of the world.” (Aparna Rayaprol, South Asian Diaspora, September 16, 2024)
"This book is the culmination of that field-based research project on the ‘lived experiences’ of
mostly Punjabi families working in the Emilia-Romagna region producing Parmesan cheese and marks a major contribution to studies on Indian emigration and more generally the literature on immigrant integration. ... There are several reasons this book breaks new ground in the vast literature on Indian migration and diaspora." (Chinmay Tumbe, The Book Review, Vol. 48 (4), 2024)
ISBN: 9789819955800
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
143 pages
2023 ed.