Life Behind the Lobby: Indian American Motel Owners and the American Dream
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- Synopsis
- Indian Americans own about half of all the motels in the United States. Even more remarkable, most of these motel owners come from the same region in India and-although they are not all related-seventy percent of them share the surname of Patel. Most of these motel owners arrived in the United States with few resources and, broadly speaking, they are self-employed, self-sufficient immigrants who have become successful-they live the American dream. However, framing this group as embodying the American dream has profound implications. It perpetuates the idea of American exceptionalism-that this nation creates opportunities for newcomers unattainable elsewhere-and also downplays the inequalities of race, gender, culture, and globalization immmigrants continue to face. Despite their dominance in the motel industry, Indian American moteliers are concentrated in lower- and mid-budget markets. Life Behind the Lobbyexplains Indian Americans' simultaneous accomplishments and marginalization and takes a close look at their own role in sustaining that duality.
- Copyright:
- 2012
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Publisher Quality
- ISBN-13:
- 9780804782029
- Related ISBNs:
- 9780804778824, 9780804778831
- Publisher:
- Stanford University Press
- Date of Addition:
- 05/17/17
- Copyrighted By:
- Stanford University Press
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Nonfiction, Travel, Business and Finance, Social Studies
- Submitted By:
- Bookshare Staff
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.
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