Indian Americans own about half of all the motels in the United States. Even more remarkable, most of these motel owners come from the same region in India and—although they are not all related—seventy percent of them share the surname of Patel. Most of these motel owners arrived in the United States with few resources and, broadly speaking, they are self-employed, self-sufficient immigrants who have become successful—they live the American dream.
However, framing this group as embodying the American dream has profound implications. It perpetuates the idea of American exceptionalism—that this nation creates opportunities for newcomers unattainable elsewhere—and also downplays the inequalities of race, gender, culture, and globalization immigrants continue to face. Despite their dominance in the motel industry, Indian American moteliers are concentrated in lower- and mid-budget markets. Life Behind the Lobby explains Indian Americans’ simultaneous accomplishments and marginalization and takes a close look at their own role in sustaining that duality.
About Pawan Dhingra
Pawan Dhingra is Associate Professor of Sociology at Oberlin College and Museum Curator (2011-2012) at the Smithsonian Institution.
Editorial Reviews
“Pawan Dhingra has written a pioneering book on the world of American motels and hotels. Close attention to the stories told by the people who work in the trade allows Dhingra to go behind the stereotypes, and give us a tale of human beings struggling to make livings and lives. This is a people’s sociology of hotel work.”—Vijay Prashad, Trinity College
“Life Behind the Lobby assesses a central debate about U.S. migration: should the achievements of self-employed migrants be regarded as evidence of the openness, tolerance, and meritocracy of an increasingly neoliberal American society, or should their sacrifices, confrontations with racism, and feelings of social marginalization be taken as proof of the enduring place of discrimination, inequality, and white privilege? Pawan Dhingra’s sophisticated and highly original analysis does much to advance our understanding of international migration, ethnic entrepreneurship, and migrants’ ability to work collectively to cope with, if not fully overcome, the circumstances they face.”—Steven J. Gold, Michigan State University, author of The Store in the Hood: A Century of Business and Conflict
‘Life Behind The Lobby’ Of Indian-American Motels
NPR Book Review – June 2, 2012 (Excerpt)
Here are three remarkable facts about motels in the U.S. that you probably don’t already know:
- At least 1 out of 2 motels are owned by Indian-Americans.
- Out of those Indian-owned motels, 70 percent are owned by Gujaratis, people with roots in the western Indian state of Gujarat.
- Of those Gujaratis, three-fourths share the last name Patel. There’s even a name for these overnight establishments: “Patel Motels.”
Pawan Dhingra writes about this incredible story in his new book called Life Behind the Lobby: Indian American Motel Owners and the American Dream. Dhingra is an associate professor of sociology at Oberlin College — soon to be joining Tufts University — and the museum curator of the HomeSpun Project at the Smithsonian Institution.
In the book, Dhingra writes about how Gujaratis came to dominate the motel industry in America. As he tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz, the Gujaratis “are a population that prides themselves on autonomous professions, working for themselves.” [Read the full article...]
The Ayurvedic Healer
by Joy J. Kaimaparamban
Set in the intriguing atmosphere of India in the early 20th century, full of mysticism, love, compassion, and political drama, The Ayurvedic Healer tells the story of Madhavan Namboodiri, a physician practicing an ancient medical science, and his enduring love for Rosilie. By healing the underprivileged, regardless of their civilian and religious status, touching the untouchables, he follows his beliefs and disobeys the rules of his society. His life story is set in the background of India’s struggle for freedom, the communist revolt in the Southern State of Kerala, social advancement, and the emergence of new societies. The Ayurvedic Healer sweeps the reader into an exotic place and time, rendering an intimate experience through sharing Madhavan Namboodiri’s life and love.
Joy J. Kaimaparamban is not only a passionate story teller. He envisions people and events, past or present, in his native India as material for unwritten works. These visions and the ability to transform them into fascinating stories about his country is a trademark of his novels. [More information...]
We are the only country that makes guns, including military-style assault weapons, available to anyone who wants to buy them. This is not freedom. It is a tyranny of death and destruction — a tyranny of which the National Rifle Association is proud. The Washington Post
