'Home' : the perspectives of young Asian women in Sheffield

• Main Author: Walker, Catherine Louise
• Published: University of Sheffield 2004
• Subjects: 305.488914122008350942821
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.401122

This thesis describes and analyses the views of young Muslim women from Pakistani backgrounds who live in the same neighbourhood in Sheffield. The thesis documents their perspectives about `home'. More specifically, it considers their perceptions of identity and `belonging', in light of their residence in Sheffield and family connections to Pakistan. This thesis is prompted by the inadequacy of existing explanations. `Belonging' has been under theorised, viewed as cultural affiliation to British culture or Asian culture. This is inadequate. Debate focuses on `difference'. Asian cultures are reified, depicted as patriarchal and constraining. More recent accounts have tried to move debate forward via a reformulation of identity; belonging is still viewed as one-dimensional. I aim to establish a broader based account of the young women's perspectives, focussing on their own views. Central to the analytical framework is a focus on views about place. Description and analysis explores views about three key places in their views: the neighbourhood, Sheffield and Pakistan. This facilitates a move beyond the confines of existing research where `belonging' is viewed as an affiliation to the nation. Description and analysis of the young women's views reveals the centrality of `racism' to their views about Sheffield. The young women were apprehensive about experiencing racial harassment or violence. This acted as a backdrop to their views about place. Racism did not prevent `belonging'. Meanings that addressed this apprehension were central to their perspectives about `home' in Sheffield. Identity and belonging are understood as multifaceted. The young women had a sense of affinity with Pakistan, coupled with a sense of belonging in Sheffield. Rather than being trapped `between two cultures' they simultaneously looked towards Sheffield and Pakistan; they identified as `Pakistanis in Sheffield'. Views about place played a mediatory role in perceptions of identity and belonging, reflecting and sustaining perspectives.