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CATAWBA EST. 1851 SALISBURY NORTH CAROLINA www. catawba. edu CATAWBA HONORS Intersections of Nostalgia, Second-Generation Indian-American Identity, and Bollywood Music Neha Sudhakar Catawba College, Salisbury, NC How do second-generation Indian-Americans who have no physical connection to the homeland use Bollywood music to form nostalgia-based identity constructs? In its most basic definition, nostalgia occurs from sentimental evocations for personal experiences. However, as the immediate children of Indian immigrants, second-generation Indian-Americans don’t have a personal, physical connection to the homeland. Scholars find that second-generation Indian-Americans rely on Bollywood song-and-dance sequences to maintain a conscious connection to Indian culture. The traditional elements of these sequences, such as cultural ideals, Indian values, and historical stories, provide social remembrances that secondgeneration Indian-Americans use to replace their unknown memory of the homeland. Through a qualitative study of second-generation Indian-American participants, this presentation examines how Bollywood music’s social memories cause nostalgia expressions in this population’s identity construction. Methodology Sample This study centered around the most recent migration of Indians to the United States (early 1990 s), so certain criteria determined participant eligibility: • • Son or daughter of Indian immigrant Born in the United States Born between the years of 1995 -2015 Above the age of 18 for ethical considerations Recruitment Posts on social media and snowball sampling through word of mouth were used for recruitment. Data Collection Online Questionnaire: Voluntary participants completed a Google Forms questionnaire with 13 questions inquiring about demographics, personal experiences with Bollywood music, and its influences on cultural identity construction. 16 out of 22 responses matched research criteria for analysis. Interviews: Interested participants completed a semistructured interview over zoom. Questions mostly asked for elaboration of questionnaire responses. 6 interviews were conducted. Analysis Questionnaire and interview data were treated with a thematic analysis. To identify nostalgia-based identity construction, two nostalgia theories were used as a measure during analysis: Parental Influences Results Parental Longing at Home: Reflective Nostalgia Aisha: “When I was young, I would listen to Bollywood music all the time because my parents would have it playing. ” Marisa: “Throughout my childhood, my dad would play old Bollywood songs…” Seonna: “Bollywood movies were popular in my household and that’s how we discovered a lot of music. Parental Longing in Community: Restorative Nostalgia Structured groups in U. S. : The Greater Carolina Kerala Association and Triangle Gujarati Association use Bollywood music for events and they restore the regionality of Indian society in the U. S. Second-Generation Community Dynamics Informal Friend Groups: Reflective Nostalgia Gayatri: : “[Bollywood music] gave me community. ” Neha: “We usually listen to [Bollywood music] in my friend group. It is something we can connect about. ” Mitali: “I found myself connecting with some of my Americanborn Indian friends while listening to [Bollywood] songs. ” Participation in Performing Arts Groups: Reflective Nostalgia Amrita: Member of Bollywood fusion dance team at NC State— “I joined this team because Bollywood is part of my identity. ” Marisa: Member of Bollywood a capella group at NC State— “[This group] is a way for [Indian Americans] to have some music presence on campus. ” Stereotypical and Traditional Depictions Cultural Pride Cultural Identity Acceptance: Reflective Nostalgia Regional Tensions: The Dangers of Restorative Nostalgia Gayatri: : “[Bollywood music] helped shed insecurities about Anu: : “In instances where South Indians were portrayed in having a different culture than my white-American friends. Bollywood cinema and music, the characters are drawn from Amulia: “Once I got into Bollywood, I started becoming more stereotypes that are very derogatory…it definitely does make a accepting of my own culture and now I am proud of it. ” South Indian person feel inferior to North Indian people. ” Mitali: “I was ashamed of being Indian…However, whenever I Misogyny: The Dangers of Restorative Nostalgia would listen to Bollywood music, I got this sense of pride. ” Megha: “The misogyny makes [Bollywood] music uncomfortable to listen to…It is no longer light-hearted to put on a Bollywood “Showing Off” Cultural Identity: Reflective Nostalgia movie with my younger sister and laugh at the sexist jokes. ” Ashwini: “Bollywood music made me want to show it off because it was cool to me. ” Homophobia: The Dangers of Restorative Nostalgia Chunmay: “In university, I watch Bollywood movies with my Ashwini: : “I felt alienated by Bollywood because there isn’t [white-American] friends because it’s a fun and accessible way much representation. It always felt like an ultimatum to me. You to acquaint them with my culture. ” could either be Indian or you could be gay. . ” Implications While stereotypical and traditional depictions led to negative restorative expressions, this study finds preliminary conclusions of Restorative Nostalgia: Recreation of homeland positive nostalgia identity construction through Bollywood music. Parental reflections fostered reflective nostalgia in the home, manifestations in the host culture through nostalgia. while structured groups developed restorative practices in community. Reflective longing of second-generation Indian-Americans Reflective Nostalgia: Acceptance of host culture led to participation in informal friend groups and performing arts teams. Reflection through cultural pride created cultural identity influences while shaping Indian culture through nostalgia. acceptance and the desire to share culture with other ethnic groups. 2300 W Innes St, Salisbury NC 28144 www. catawba. edu http: //catawba. edu/academics/honors 1. 800. CATAWBA