Negotiating and Reinventing Identities by South Asian Women in the Context of Transnational Mobility

Abstract

This study investigates the experiences of women spouses of international students from South Asia in the United States to understand how they navigate, adapt, and reinvent their identities in the new environment. Through intimate narratives gathered from 15 participants via semi-structured qualitative interviews, their lived experiences were thoroughly examined. Employing grounded theory and inductive analysis, three key themes emerged: (1) the loss of professional identities established in their home countries due to the devaluation of academic credentials and work experience in the new setting; (2) the challenges of identity conflict encountered while transitioning between different work cultures; and (3) the significance placed on gendered identities and associated roles within the family sphere. The analysis highlights the dynamic evolution of these women’s identities, shaped by the intersectionality of various systems of oppression. Despite facing compromised status and familial responsibilities, the participants exhibited resilience by embracing differences and redefining meanings of life across times and spaces. This study contributes to our understanding of how transnational mobility for higher education from the Global South to the Global North, sustained by the racialized labor market, perpetuates a heteronormative gender order that privileges men and marginalizes women.