South Asian Studies, Vol 32, No 2 (2017)

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‘We weren’t allowed to date’: Unpacking U.S. South Asian Courtship Narratives

M. Gail Hickey

Abstract


South Asians first began to arrive in the U.S. in large numbers fewer than 50 years ago. U.S. South Asian children experience acculturation differently from their parents. First-generation South Asian parents’ attempts to retain ethnic traditions through child rearing may result in intergenerational conflict. This collective case study considers South Asian immigrants’ experiences with and perspectives about child rearing, with particular emphasis on traditions surrounding dating and marriage. Emergent themes center around differences in gender role socialization, taboos associated with mixed-gender socialization, and children's deference to elders' authority. Dichotomies between collectivistic and individualist worldviews affecting socialization and familial dynamics are explored through immigrants’ own words. 

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