The Argument for an Activist South Asian American Studies

Abstract: This article makes a case for foregrounding activism in South Asian American studies (SAAS) as a means of grappling with contemporary political crises and structural inequalities. Situating SAAS within the broader field of Asian American studies (AAS), I engage two key interventions: Tamara Bhalla and Pawan Dhingra’s call to centralize “privilege” in SAAS (particularly caste- and class-based) and Diane Fujino and Robyn Rodriguez’s reminder to re-center activism in shaping forward directions for AAS. I explore how SAAS might continue taking inspiration from the original political commitments of ethnic studies—communal self-determination, liberation, and cross-racial solidarity—while also recognizing the diaspora’s internal complexities and contradictions. Drawing from my own experiences as an ethnic studies educator and a grassroots organizer, I illustrate how an activist-oriented approach can more deeply connect SAAS scholarship with on-the-ground struggles. These include movements addressing labor exploitation, environmental justice, and racialized/gendered violence as well as transnational solidarities that bring South Asian Americans into shared cause with other marginalized groups. In articulating these possibilities, I argue that the future of SAAS is best served by cultivating commitments that bridge rigorous academic inquiry with ongoing grassroots organizing.