Ethnic media and the making of Indianness among Indo-Fijians: a diasporic anthropological study

This PhD dissertation investigates the role of ethnic media in the production and continuity of Indianness among Indian diasporic communities in Fiji. Situated within the historical context of indentured labor migration, the study examines how Indo-Fijians negotiate cultural identity across generations in a postcolonial island society. Adopting a mixed methodological framework, the research draws on field surveys, interviews, oral histories, and content analysis of ethnic media, with particular attention to the Hindi newspaper Shanti Dut. The findings suggest that ethnic media operates as a cultural mediator through which language, religion, festivals, and collective memory are sustained beyond the territorial boundaries of the homeland. The study argues that mediated cultural practices enable Indo-Fijians to maintain a shared sense of belonging while adapting to local social realities. This dissertation contributes to anthropological discussions on diaspora, media, and cultural transmission in the Global South.