When we discuss on migrants’ communities, the category of ethnic group is used to describe them. Scholars in migration studies also tend to focus on the community of particular ethnic origin. However, it may be useful to bring transborder perspective instead of category by religion or nationality when we think of integration and inclusion in a multicultural reality. This paper studies transborder relations which cannot be explained by the category of particular religion or nationality, looking into cultural ties among South Asian migrants in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada.
It is rarely happened for Indians and Pakistanis to Interact with people from other side of the border before their migration abroad because of the conflict among two countries. However, having a friend from other side of the border is a typical and common experience at the place they migrated to because South Asian migrants share cultural bases such as languages, cuisine, attire, gender norm, and family bond. These are transboundary features among South Asians based on the region across the national border.
Transborder relations are established through cultural ties among South Asian migrants in the context of multicultural reality seen in the Greater Toronto Area. The relations may prompt bringing the identity not by the country of origin or religion, but as a member of multicultural society. If people accumulate the experiences of transborder connection, their ethnic boundary isn’t considered as a strict line dividing people.
In this paper we examine several cases of South Asian migrants who have identity as a member of multicultural society. Through the cases it will be found that transborder relations through the cultural ties support and promote social integration in the multicultural reality.
