My Situation

As of right now, what my final paper will be over is not set in stone. Currently, I'm tossing two ideas back and forth. The first option is to stick with what my first blog discussed: third gender & rockstar syndrome. If I decide to stick with that I will most likely continue relating it to the Indian-American community. I find it interesting to analyze the complexities of a community who makes their home in a country which they were not born in and whose native country was once colonized. What is the legacy of British colonialism in India in the lives of Indian immigrants in America today? Are there still visible themes in their culture, or is it more subdued? What are their views of American society as a part of the Western world, the world which their usurpers came from? I may find myself off on a tangent exploring further aspects of how themes of colonialism can be found in that community, not just third gender and rockstar syndrome.

My other idea is to look at how people who live between/in two different cultures view their identity. I myself am affected by identity crisis since I've lived in so many places throughout my life (since my Dad is in the military, we moved every three(ish) years). It is easier for me to write on topics which I have personal experience with. It gives me more motivation and allows me more depth. I think either of the two ideas would be advantageous in this way. With the theme of identity crisis I could also use examples from the Indian-American community. How do its members cope with the two very different cultures they live in? Especially young Indian-Americans. What aspects of each culture do they identify most with?

Regardless of which idea I decide to elaborate on, I'm excited about the result. I think it will be a fun process gathering data, opinions, ideas, etc and molding them into a concise study. It's really interesting to see how the topics we discuss in class affect such a broad range of human life, even outside of the sphere of colonization.