Module 1: Roots: History of Pakistan and Early Migrations
Do Pakistani Americans fit under the broad umbrella of an “Asian American” panethnic identity?
Pakistan is a modern nation created in 1947, but the Pakistani people share a long history and culture with India and other South Asian neighbors. The political, economic, and social causes of Pakistani migration overseas include the history of colonialism in India, the separation of India and Pakistan in 1947, and the politics of the Cold War.
This module builds a foundation in understanding the diverse identities that comprise Pakistan and Pakistani Americans. By outlining the history and larger context of Pakistani migration to the United States, this module also examines the idea of a larger, more encompassing “South Asian American” identity.
What forces led to the mass exclusion and incarceration of West Coast Japanese Americans?
What were the conditions and politics of life in American concentration camps?
What were the varied ways Japanese Americans responded to their wartime plight?
