Emerging voices

Submissive, docile, exotic... These are the images of South Asian women living in the USA that are created and perpetuated by society and the media--images that define and limit the boundaries of identity formation for these women. This book enables them to speak out as they redefine themselves, their families, and their communities in their journey of exploration and growth and in forging a biocultural identity. Written by South Asian immigrant gender specialists, this collection of original essays explores women's experiences with immigration. The chapters span different generational, religious, and regional points of view and at the same time cover women's varied and often conflicting roles as mothers, homemakers, and professionals. Among aspects covered are whether the experiences of South Asian women differ from other women, they way in which their experiences are different from those of male immigrants, the impact of home culture on gender role expectation, and their way of dealing with these conflicting pressures. A significant and timely book on an important but under-researched phenomenon.