Indian Americans: The Life and Work of a New Immigrant Community

CASI-Related Event

University of Pennsylvania Social Science & Policy Forum

Devesh Kapur
Director, CASI, and Madan Lal Sobti Professor for the Study of Contemporary India
College Hall, Room 205
University of Pennsylvania
3450 Woodland Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104

PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN – whether they are Indian-born or U.S.-born – make up well less than one percent of the American population.  Despite its small size, this community has been called a "Model Minority" that has been unusually successful in pursuing the "American Dream" through careers in high-skill occupations and entrepreneurship.  The talk focuses on four major themes in the immigration literature – selection, assimilation, entrepreneurship, and clustering – to analyze the specific characteristics of this community. Unlike most immigrant groups who enter the country at a disadvantage (relative to non-Hispanic Whites) and converge within a generation or two, the advantages of exceptional positive selection of Indian immigrants at the time of entry appears to be sustained through the next generation.

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The Nand & Jeet Khemka Distinguished Lecture Series is an endowed public program of the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI). Launched in the 2007-08 academic year, and made possible through the generous support of the Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation, the series brings renowned India specialists to the Penn community and serves as a critical forum for analyzing and understanding the complex economic, political, social, and cultural changes that the world’s largest democracy is experiencing, as well as the challenges that lie ahead.
The Saluja Global Fellows Program has been made possible by the generous gift from Vishal Saluja ENG’89 W’89. CASI was excited to launch the program during the 2022–23 academic year, coinciding with the Center’s 30th Anniversary. This new program enables CASI to invite eminent leaders and rising experts on contemporary India preferably from the fields of media, culture, law, and contemporary history to be in residence for one to two weeks at CASI.