Immigration as it is reflected in Ramona Bran University of the West Timisoara

Foreigners = aliens Different from the natives from a “linguistic, customary, religious and ethnic” point of view (Sartori, 2007:289) Britain: Commonwealth => British citizens born in the colonies London: 8,5% of the population is Muslim

Different from the natives from a “linguistic, customary, religious and ethnic” point of view (Sartori, 2007:289)

Britain: Commonwealth => British citizens born in the colonies

London: 8,5% of the population is Muslim

Brick Lane Street in East London Heart of the Bangladeshi community The book by Monica Ali describes the experience of Diaspora in contemporary London

Street in East London

Heart of the Bangladeshi community

The book by Monica Ali describes the experience of Diaspora in contemporary London

Types of Immigrants Nazneen- comes to England at 18 for an arranged marriage; from the shy village girl she becomes an independent woman Chanu- husband, 20 years older, believes he is owed a living in England; feels discriminated, loses many jobs; returns to Bangladesh

Nazneen- comes to England at 18 for an arranged marriage; from the shy village girl she becomes an independent woman

Chanu- husband, 20 years older, believes he is owed a living in England; feels discriminated, loses many jobs; returns to Bangladesh

Shahana - second generation of immigrant, represents in fact a typical Western European teenager Karim- Nazneen’s young lover; he is a radical Muslim, but born in England. He has a hybrid identity and ends up going to visit his parents’ country, Bangladesh. Razia- Nazneen’s neighbour and friend, represents the proud immigrant; she has to support her two children so she is forced to give up traditional Muslim customs

Shahana - second generation of immigrant, represents in fact a typical Western European teenager

Karim- Nazneen’s young lover; he is a radical Muslim, but born in England. He has a hybrid identity and ends up going to visit his parents’ country, Bangladesh.

Razia- Nazneen’s neighbour and friend, represents the proud immigrant; she has to support her two children so she is forced to give up traditional Muslim customs

The sisters Hasina- the sister who stayed in Dhaka She is everything her sister is not Doesn’t merely submit to her fate Is not an immigrant but always encourages Nazneen and is unaware of her hardships.

Hasina- the sister who stayed in Dhaka

She is everything her sister is not

Doesn’t merely submit to her fate

Is not an immigrant but always encourages Nazneen and is unaware of her hardships.

Ethnic Urbanity Chanu and his family take a sightseeing “trip” to London, after he had lived here for 30 years Immigrants are mostly integrated in closed ethnic networks (within their community)

Chanu and his family take a sightseeing “trip” to London, after he had lived here for 30 years

Immigrants are mostly integrated in closed ethnic networks (within their community)

Conclusions Immigration – complex sociological phenomenon, reflected in Monica Ali’s literary text Starting point for a debate about how different are we in fact (as hosts or as migrants)

Immigration – complex sociological phenomenon, reflected in Monica Ali’s literary text

Starting point for a debate about how different are we in fact (as hosts or as migrants)

Questions and Answers Thank you! Ramona Bran University of the West Timisoara Faculty of Sociology and Psychology Department of Modern Languages and Social Informatics Email: rbran@socio.uvt.ro