Nandini Narain Assar
Center for Interdisciplinary Studies 351 Lane Hall Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061 Ph: (540)231-6490 Fax: (540)231-7669 709 Appalachian Drive Apt #6 Blacksburg, VA 24060 Ph: (540)961-0126 e-mail: nassar@vt.edu EMPLOYMENT
1998-00 Instructor. Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Fall 1992 Lecturer. Department of African and African American
Studies. Binghamton University. EDUCATION
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Ph.D. Spring 2000. Sociology. Title of dissertation: Gender
Hierarchy among Gujarati Immigrants: Linking Immigration Policy and Cultural Norms.
Major area: Political Economy with a focus on Gender. Minor area: Qualitative Methods.
Binghamton University, New York
M.A. May 1992. Sociology. GPA 4.0. Independent Research: Impact of International Monetary Fund and World Bank Policies on Rural and Poor Women in India.
Miranda House College, Delhi University, India B.A. Honors. Major: Sociology. Minors: Economics and Philosophy PUBLICATIONS
Assar, Nandini. 1999. Immigration Policy, Cultural Norms and Gender Relations Among Indian-American Motel Owners. Pp. 82-102 in Gender and Immigration , edited by Gregory A. Kelson and Debra L. DeLaet. Macmillan Press: U.K.
Assar, Nandini. 1998. Gender Hierarchy in Motel Work: A Macrosociological and Microeconomic Analysis. Pp. 15-46 in Advances in Gender Research , Volume 3, edited by Vasilikie Demos and Marcia Texler Segal. JAI Press: Greenwich, CT.
Assar, Nandini. 1998. Patels in Budget Motels: An Indian-American Success Story. Pp. 67-84 in Current Research on Occupations and Professions , Volume 10, edited by Helena Z. Lopata. JAI Press: Greenwich, CT.
In Progress
Assar, Nandini N. and Toni M. Calasanti. Power Dynamics in Cross-Cultural Fieldwork: Reaching Beyond the Insider-Outsider Debate.
Assar, Nandini and Meeta Mehrotra. Impacts of Race/Ethnicity, Class, and Gender on the Interaction between Researcher and Participants.
Assar, Nandini. Impacts of World Bank & IMF Policies on Rural and Poor Women in India. To be revised and resubmitted to SIGNS.
AWARDS AND HONORS
2000 Nominated by the Service-Learning Center for the Outstanding Service-Learning Educator award, given each year at the University Student Leadership Awards Ceremony
1999 Faculty development grant. Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Virginia Tech.
1998 Faculty development grant. Service-Learning Center, Virginia Tech. 1997 Graduate diversity research mentoring grant. Virginia Tech.
1997 Faculty development grant. Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Virginia Tech.
1994 National Security Education Program Fellowship. Academy for Educational Development. Grant to support dissertation project. 1994 Fellowship for Women in Public Policy.
Center for Women in Government, State University of New York-Albany. Declined in favor of position at Virginia Tech.
1994 National Science Foundation stipend.
Summer workshop on field work methods at the University of Georgia at Athens.
1991 Joel Robinson Scholarship for community activism. Binghamton University.
WORK STATUS
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS Teaching Experience
Gender Relations; Minority Group Relations; Third World Women and 'Development'; Introduction to Sociology; Introduction to Women's Studies, Exploring Leadership, Women's Leadership
Research Interests
Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Women in Development, Immigration DISSERTATION ABSTRACT
Gender Hierarchy Among Gujarati Immigrants: Linking Immigration Policy and Cultural Norms.
Immigration policy and tradition dovetail in their impact on the social organization of immigrant communities, linking the material and non-material aspects of gender. I focus on Asian Indian Patels, who dominate the budget motel business in the U.S. Most Patels enter the U.S under family reunification rules in a chain migration. These rules do not recognize families as labor, therefore a majority of documented immigrants are exempt from labor certification. Traditions define Patel women as housewives. The nature of motel work allows women to contribute their labor full-time and still remain housewives: they are not recognized as workers. Community financing and family labor, both escapes from the market economy, allow for the economic success of Patels. When families take on subsequent links in the chain migration, they must meet the costs of migration for new immigrants, and maintain traditional gender hierarchy. When they are the last link in the chain, there is a challenge to this hierarchy. In the second generation, when they remain in the motel business, Patels maintain traditional gender hierarchy. When either partner is linked to the labor market, there is a challenge to traditional gender hierarchy.
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
2000 Assar, Nandini. Researching Ethnic Women in the United States: Some Lessons from a Study of the Eastern Indian Motel Industry. Research Session. North Central Sociological Association, Pittsburgh.
1997 Assar, Nandini. Gender and Immigration. Section on International Migration, American Sociological Association, Toronto.
1997 Assar, Nandini and Meeta Mehrotra. Impacts of Race/Ethnicity, Class, and Gender in the Interaction Between Researcher and Participants, Section on Race, Class, and Gender, American Sociological Association, Toronto. 1996 Assar, Nandini. Cross-Cultural Dynamics. Mid-Atlantic Region
Association for Asian Studies, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ. 1995 Assar, Nandini. Gender and Economy: Indian-Americans and Immigration.
1995 Assar, Nandini. Breaking and Entering: Reflections on Establishing Field Relationships. Section on Qualitative Methods, American Sociological Association, Washington DC.
1993 Assar, Nandini. The Impact of Family Reunification Immigration Policies on Gujaratis and Sikhs in the US. Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, New School For Social Research, New York University, NY UNIVERSITY AND DEPARTMENT SERVICE
1999-00 Women's Studies Curriculum Committee. Virginia Tech 1998-99 Women’s Studies Executive Committee. Virginia Tech 1997-1998 Women’s Studies Advisory Committee. Virginia Tech.
1996-1997 Graduate Student Assembly. Sociology Department Representative. Virginia Tech
1993-1994 Sociology Graduate Student Union. Representative to the Undergraduate Committee, Department of Sociology, Binghamton University
1993-1994 Graduate Student Employees Union. Representative to Childcare Committee, Binghamton University
1990-1994 Caucus of Women of Color. Founding member and past Convenor. Binghamton University
1989-1991 Graduate Students’ Organization. Graduate Student Representative to University Childcare Committee, Binghamton University
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
1997-99 Reviewer. Women's Studies International Forum
1997 Discussant. Roundtable on Rethinking Race Relations: People of Color Coping with Subordination and Privilege. American Sociological Association, Toronto.
1996 Organizer. Panel on Indian Immigrants and Indian Culture. Asian American Studies Association, Seton Hall College, South Orange, NJ. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• American Sociological Association • Sociologists for Women in Society • Association for Women in Development • Association of Black Sociologists
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
Feb. 2000 Attended "Learning Series: Introduction to the Science of Learning, Working Memory." Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Virginia Tech.
Feb. 1999 Attended winter meeting of Sociologists for Women in Society in Austin, TX. Theme: Focus on Girls
Jan. 1999 Attended “Learning Communities”. Winter Faculty Development Conference, Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Virginia Tech
Aug. 1998 Attended ‘Empowerment of Women and Girls Program: Looking Back/Moving Ahead Workshop’. Service-Learning Center, Virginia Tech June 1998 Attended 'Strengthening Community Partnerships: A Conference on
Service-Learning for Social Justice in Appalachia.' Tusculum College, Greenville, TN.
May 1998 Attended 'Intergenerational Service-Learning Conference.' Center for Gerontology and Service-Learning Center, Virginia Tech.
Feb. 1998 Attended winter meeting of Sociologists for Women in Society in Atlanta, GA. Theme: Women's Health Issues
Feb.1998 Attended Diversity Workshop at the Leadership and Student Organizations Programs, based on Boal techniques and facilitated by Faculty from
Virginia Tech's Performing Community.
Fall 1997 EDCI 6644, College Teaching. This course is a way college teachers can acquire the professional knowledge and skill necessary to teach effectively and to continue developing as a teacher. The content inter-relates theory, research, and practical aspects of learning and teaching in college contexts. Nov. 1997 Attended 'Questioning and Discussion Techniques.' Seminar at the Center
for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Virginia Tech.
Oct. 1997 Attended 'Promoting Student Learning Through Active Learning Strategies.' Seminar at the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Virginia Tech.
Sep.1997 Participated in Faculty Study Group focused on improving teaching skills. to date Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Virginia Tech.
Feb. 1997 Attended winter meeting of Sociologists for Women in Society in Charleston, SC. Theme: International Women's Issues.
Sep.-Nov. Attended four part series 'Acting Up in the Classroom.' Workshop at the 1997 Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Virginia Tech.
Oct.-Nov. Attended four part series 'Interviewing Face to Face.' Workshop at the 1996 Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Virginia Tech.
Jun.-Jul. Summer Workshop on Fieldwork Methods, National Science Foundation 1994 sponsored 5 week program at the University of Georgia, Athens
COMMUNITY SERVICE
1999 Attended volunteer training (40 hours). Women’s Resource Center, Radford. 1998 Invited Speaker. Relationship Violence from a Global Perspective.
Conference for service providers at Radford University. Radford, Virginia. 1995-1996 Tutor. New River Valley Juvenile Detention Home. Christiansburg,
Virginia. Assisted students with school learning tasks in the classroom. 1995 Volunteer. the Radford-Fairlawn Daily Bread. Radford, Virginia
1993 Home Teacher. Binghamton City School District.Taught students in their homes while they were unable to attend school for long periods of time. Paid position.
1991 Volunteer. Advocacy Support and Alcoholism Program, SOS Shelter. Endicott, New York (A paralegal outreach service). Personal goal was to extend services to immigrant women experiencing domestic violence who were unable to speak English.
1988-1991 Hotline Volunteer. Crime Victims’ Assistance Center. Binghamton, New York.
1987-1990 Tutor: Basic. Literacy Volunteers of Broome-Tioga, Endwell, New York. Tutored adults one-on-one until they achieved functional literacy or their GED.
