Social Production/Reproduction: Second-Generation Asian Indian Youths as Sources of Upclassing

Abstract

Focusing on second-generation Asian Indian youth in the United States this minority performance ethnography explores two issues: First, how second-generation Asian Indian youth's educational attainment works as a source of social production/reproduction for their parents and how it leads to upward mobility and upclassing. Second, to what extent academic achievement of the children of Indian immigrants is influenced by parental social and cultural capital. Due to their economic and academic success in the United States, Asian Indians and their children are described as “successful good minorities.” In order to maintain their positive image and to ensure upward mobility, Asian Indian parents expect their children to excel academically and obtain high paying secure professions. They consider their children's education as an investment. Findings indicate that parental cultural and social capital plays a significant role in their children's academic achievement and future economic success. Data shows that in general Asian Indian youth with higher level of inherited cultural and social capital have higher levels of academic attainment. Professional Asian Indian immigrants with higher human capital view their children's success as a means to reproduce their socioeconomic status and to achieve political and social power in the dominant society. Parents with a lower level of human capital also viewed their children's success as a source of empowerment and upclassing. They had high expectations and aspirations for their children. They believe that their children's educational attainment will provide them with prestige and economic stability and will accelerate their movement to higher economic social class status. Thus, the academic achievement of second-generation Asian Indian students intercedes as an agent to maintain or improve their family's position in the class structure.