(Un)Settling Imagined Lands

Abstract

De/colonial methodologies and ontoepistemologies have gained popularity in the academic discourses emerging from Global North perspectives over the last decade. However, such perspectives often erase the broader global agenda of de/colonizing research, praxis, and activism that could be initiated and engaged with beyond the issue of land repatriation, as that is not the only agenda in de/colonial initiatives. In this chapter, I coin a framework, Par/Des(i), with six tenets, and offer three actionable methodological turns grounded in transnational de/colonial ontoepistemologies. I locate, situate, and trace the Par/Des(i) framework within the South Asian diasporic discourses and lived realities as evidenced from my empirical work with transnational South Asian women, my community, and my colleagues. Therefore, I offer possibilities of being, knowing, and enacting de/colonizing methodologies in our work, when engaging with the Par/Des(i) framework, with an invitation for an expanded conversation.

Fostering (re)connections: South Asian students healing from dating violence.

“…The connection to family and relatives in supporting South Asian college student survivors' healing found in the present study is consistent with literature documenting the importance of family and social support in South Asian survivors' recovery (Ahmad et al, 2013;Singh et al, 2010). However, the connection to intergenerational knowledge and ancestral wisdom extends the current literature on South Asian survivors, exemplifying a "beloved" aspect of culture (Bhattacharya, 2019). South Asian culture and community can provide healing for South Asian student survivors, contrary to the notions that they are harmful (e.g., Ahmad et al, 2017;Midlarsky et al, 2006) and perpetuate cycles of interpersonal violence from generation to generation (e.g., Lee & Hadeed, 2009).…”

“…Given this history and racialization, a culturally situated framework that speaks to the experiences of diasporic South Asians, like Par/Des(i), is a beneficial framework to guide this study's methodology. Bhattacharya (2019) outlines six tenets of the Par/Des(i) framework. The first, "re-membering Desh," describes how South Asians in the diaspora hold (and continue to recreate and perpetuate) nostalgic, romanticized, and static notions and values of the homeland.…”

“…The decolonial Par/Des(i) framework (Bhattacharya, 2019) guides this study. The term Desh 1 is a Sanskrit word meaning place, which is understood as one’s homeland.…”

“…Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study is to understand the healing experiences of South Asian college student DV survivors in support of institutional efforts to respond effectively to interpersonal violence. This study uses the decolonial Par/Des(i) framework (Bhattacharya, 2019), along with culturally situated methods, to explore the healing modalities of six South Asian women students at one institution of higher education. Participants engaged in two thé talks, similar to semistructured interviews, and a photovoice activity which centered their healing journeys.…”

“…The guiding research question is: How do South Asian student DV survivors describe their healing processes after DV? Using a power-conscious, culturally resonant framework (Bhattacharya, 2019), along with culturally situated methods, I explore the modalities of healing among South Asian women college students.…”