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Stereotypes of South Asians are oversimplified ethnic stereotypes of South Asian people, and are found in many Western societies. Stereotypes of South Asians have been collectively internalized by societies, and are manifested by a society's media, literature, theatre and other creative expressions. However, these stereotypes have very real repercussions for South Asians in daily interactions, current events, and governmental legislation.
Some stereotypes of South Asians overlap with Stereotypes of East and Southeast Asians, such as the model minority stereotype and stereotypes of exclusion. However, not all stereotypes of Asians apply to South Asians, and South Asians have their own independent set of stereotypes as well.
South Asians as well as other Asian Americans have been stereotyped as "model minorities": hardworking, politically inactive, studious, intelligent, productive, and inoffensive people who have elevated their social standing through merit and diligence.
Particularly in Britain, South Asians have been stereotyped as being a majority of newsagent and convenience store shopkeepers, the stereotype Paki shop; and also making a majority of doctors, these are all again often associated as being hardworking. This stereotype was made fun in the television and radio sketches of Goodness Gracious Me by four British Asian comedy actors themselves. This stereotype also exists in America as well. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from the animated TV show The Simpsons is a prototypical hard working South Asian convenience store owner who essentially never takes a vacation, has an arranged marriage and a large number of children.
Pakistanis
Oppressors of women
"Pakistanis are oppressive of women is one stereotype that the western society holds about Pakistan" One "common stereotype... The women are subservient to men."
Against Indians
One "common stereotype... Pakistanis-Americans are against Indian-Americans... work closely with each other in similar workplaces and respect each other’s perspectives and work in a congenial manner" Anjum Niaz considers a stereotype Indians have about Pakistanis is that Pakistanis "ant the break-up of the Indian union"
Uneducated
One "common stereotype... Pakistani-Americans are not educated and mostly are cabdrivers."
Racial superiority to Indians
Anjum Niaz considers a stereotype Indians have about Pakistanis is that Pakistanis "consider themselves superior and of Turko-Persian stock"
Arabs
One "common stereotype... Pakistani-Americans are Arabs.. Pakistani-Americans are of South Asian heritage. They are separate from Arabs."
Bangladeshis
Uneducated
"High unemployment, poverty, low educational achievements are the stereotypes still associated with the community"
Indians
General
Violent fighting over securing an Indian wife
"The shortage of Indian women resulted in violence commited by jealous lovers and husbands, creating a stereotype of East Indian men, which gained in infamy... coolies reputation with the police was bad and significantly while the Negroes use their tongue in argument, the Indian commit murder, and given the scarcity of Indian women, without hesitation. Thus the stereotype is reinforced ascribing to the Indian husband a frantically jealous discposition."
Irrationality
"n the Western popular consciousness the Indian subcontinent... is denounced for its irrationality...Hindu beliefs and traditions are often represented as a superstitious localized collection of archaic cults...During the impressionable teenage years, these negative portrayals can cause shame and embarrassment among Indian-American students regarding their ancestry and can engender a dislike for India... Negativities may persist in classes at the University level , in which Hinduism is represented as myth," (this refers only to those following the Hindu religion, and another stereotype is presented here: most people think that all Indians are Hindu)
Monkey brain eaters
"The wholly fictional depiction of India in the Steven Spielberg film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, seems to have been taken as a valid portrayal of India by many teachers, since a large number of students surveyed complained that teachers referred to the eating of monkey brains."
Adivasis
Noble Savage
"This description not only presents the original rulers of India as brave warriors but also emphasis their martial manliness and sense of honour... as well as their good nature... Such a narrative prepared the ground for the stereotype of the good savage that will be applied to the Indian aborgines."
Gujarati
Wealthy
"he stereotype of a Gujarati is that of a wealthy individual who enjoys the good things in life."
Dalits
Playing to sympathy
"Thirumaavalavan's writings do not conform to the typical mainstream stereotype of Dalit writing, which are expected of being characterized by tear-jerking narratives of sorrow and all holds-barred narratives of social activity."
Brahmins
Greedy
"here are striking similarities between the stereotypes about Brahmins in India and those about Jews in the West. Jews have been described as devious connivers, who would do anything for personal gain. They were said to be secretive and untrustworthy, manipulating politics and the economy. In India, Brahmins are all too often characterised in the same way."
Against oppressed castes
"he stereotypes about the Jews were part of a larger story about a historical conspiracy in which they had supposedly exploited European societies. To this day, the stories about a Jewish conspiracy against humanity prevail. The anti-Brahminical stories sound much the same, but have the Brahmins plotting against the oppressed classes in Indian society."
See also
- British Asian
- South Asian American
- Indo-Canadian
- Stereotypes of East and Southeast Asians
- Brown people
- Anti-Pakistani sentiment
References
- Intercultural Learning Center of Canada. 2006. Accessed August 9 2008.
- ^ PakPac. COMMON STEREOTYPES AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PAKISTANI-AMERICANS 2005.
- ^ Niaz, Anjum. Zspace. Spiking Stereotypes. 2002. Accessed August 8, 2008.
- BBC Home Radio. Asian Network Report. Accessed August 8, 2008.
- ^ Ramdin, Ron. Arising from Bondage: A History of the Indo-Caribbean People.Published by NYU Press, 2000 ISBN 0814775489
- ^ Rosser, Yvette. Missouri Southern State University. Teaching South Asia. 2001. Accessed July 18.
- ^ Christophe Jaffrelot. India's Silent Revolution. Published by Columbia University Press, 2003 ISBN 0231127863
- Shah, Rajiv . The Economic Times. Modi's splurging Gujarat is a myth.
- Thirumaavalavan, Meena Kandasamy. Talisman, Extreme Emotions of Dalit Liberation. Published by Popular Prakashan, 2003 ISBN 8185604681
- ^ De Roover, Jakob. Youth for Equality. The Parallel between anti-Brahminism and anti-Semitism. 2007. Accessed August 10, 2008.