EXPLORING SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN’S SENSE OF BELONGING

By DILSHAN FERNANDO

In many Canadian workplaces, South Asian women are a distinct and thriving minority. But what do their paths to success look like? They don’t have it easy.

Anju Philip, a PhD candidate in the Department of Management at University of Guelph’s Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, says they often navigate complex and arduous parallel cultures.

“I’m always curious to understand how South Asian women conform to the cultural norms that are an integral part of their lives, and yet also assimilate with the host culture that we are in,” she says.

There appear to be many layers – including employment – in which these parallel cultures unfold, and Philip studies South Asian working women’s experiences in Canada, with a focus on work-related barriers.

A recent report notes how getting a job in Canada can be a challenge, especially for South Asian women.

Part of the problem is the lack of correct information. Philip says that’s why studying how these women form social networks – a  behaviour that differs across cultures – helps to fill-in information gaps.

Such research could also explain why South Asian women are more inclined to change their jobs than any other minority group in Canada.

Sometimes, subtle discrimination influences these culture-based choices.

Recently, Philip visited a healthcare practitioner who was surprised at her English skills.

“She asked me if I went to an English school,” says Philip, whose first language is English. Yet these are the type of daily encounters, based on ignorance, that mostly don’t intend any meanness, that make one the “other” no matter how settled they get in their host culture and its organizations.

Philip’s research reflects her own journey as a woman of South Asian descent. She was born in Ethiopia, raised in Botswana, educated in India and the US, worked there as well as in China. She’s had to weave through different cultures to make her life choices and the intercontinental exposure has had an impact on her scholarship.

As a community-savvy person, she deeply values collegial networks. “I’m one of those people who tries to keep in touch, so I will make sure I’m checking in on people,” she says.

But she hasn’t experienced a real sense of belonging as a doctoral student. “The camaraderie is not there, I think that’s very different from a South Asian perspective,” she says. “In India, you get together with your colleagues and form a sort of a gang. It’s so easy to move through a program or organization and be successful when you have that sense of belonging and support.”

That’s why Philip views Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) as that networking hub at U of G where students like her seek support and camaraderie. It is an interdisciplinary hub for cutting-edge research on India/Indian diaspora, a gathering place for faculty, students and community partners who are interested in research related to India and Indian diaspora.

The chance to connect with others who work on under-researched areas like the South Asian diaspora in Canada is encouraging, she says. Much of this student engagement is harnessed by CIRCLE’s active outreach and keeping everyone on top of South Asia focused research. While one does not always have time for all their activities, there is something for a diverse audience.

Philip is excited to make further connections through CIRCLE as she reaches out to working South Asian women for her data collection.    

• This article is an edited version of the original published at the CIRCLE website, canadaindiaresearch.ca. Dilshan Fernando is a student writer for CIRCLE. He is in the second year of his PhD at the University of Guelph.

• For more on CIRCLE, please visit canadaindiaresearch.ca/connect.

• Interested in participating in the growing global community of CIRCLE? Write to indiaresearch-L@uoguelph.ca.

• If you’d like to share the story of your arrival in Canada, please write to desinews@rogers.com or call 416-695-4357.

WANTED: RESEARCH PARITICIPANTS

If you are 21 or older, a permanent resident or citizen of Canada and currently working or in between jobs and actively looking for full-time or part-time employment, the University of Guelph would like to invite you to participate in a research study.

Conducted by Anju Philip, the two-part study investigates the meaning of work-life balance to currently or previously employed South Asian women living in Canada. It also seeks to explore the personal networks that South Asian women belong to, and to what extent these networks impact their diverse choices surrounding work and life.

Participation is voluntary but those who complete both parts of the study are eligible to receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

For more information, contact Anju Philip at aphilip@uoguelph.ca