Odia Diaspora: Culture, Identity, and Transnationalism

This interdisciplinary volume examines the transnational Odia-speaking community from the Indian state of Odisha, exploring their rich cultural heritage, identity formation, and global presence across multiple disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. As the first comprehensive academic treatment dedicated to the Odia diaspora, this edited collection addresses a significant gap in South Asian diaspora scholarship. The book provides interdisciplinary perspectives on Odia diaspora history, culture, literature, politics, and contemporary issues through contributions from leading scholars in India and internationally. Key themes include historical migration patterns from ancient maritime traditions to contemporary economic migration, cultural continuity and change in transnational contexts, gender dynamics and women's experiences, digital diasporas and transnational encounters, economic contributions and remittances, and the role of festivals and cultural practices in maintaining community identity. The volume addresses the community's significant yet understudied presence in countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. This essential resource serves researchers, post-graduate students, and academics in diaspora studies, South Asian studies, cultural anthropology, migration studies, sociology, area studies, history, media studies, colonial history, labor studies, post-colonial studies, gender studies, and interdisciplinary studies.