South Asian Appropriation, and where do I go from here

[Purple Rose]

As "South Asian" seems to be an American term and every Indian I know identifies himself/herself as Indian, I'll just use the word "Indian' especially in this context where, in any case, you don't seem to mention Sri Lanka, Pakistan or Bangladesh.

I agree with what all the other posters have said, which essentially boils down to understanding the culture. I think one of the concerns would be stereo-typing which, I personally think, is often blown out of proportion anyway. In my personal experience, non-Indians (usually those in the West) seem to object more to stereo-typing than the Indians I know. However, if idiocy or a mean spirit is involved, than be prepared for a backlash. I am sure this will not be the case here.

With a good understanding of the culture, I think you could pull off a story like this to great effect.

Originally Posted by Rachel Udin

I tend to think if you are going to base something loosely on a set of cultures, you need to do more rather than less research so you know where things intersect and they don't. Either you have to research South Asian cultures until you feel like you're going blue, or you'll have to base is loosely on one culture or figure out the best way to file off the serial numbers. (Which usually means a different kind of research).

As an Indian, I agree with this 100%. This would apply to any other culture on which you're basing your story.

Originally Posted by roseangel

Yes, research research research.
My usual writing plan is to do a little research before I start the first draft, then truck loads once I finish, then as I revise, incorporate the research.
And repeat, and repeat . . . .

And repeat ... Research :-) Yes.

Originally Posted by Polenth

At the point you're at, this isn't the time for narrowly-focused research or beta readers. Forget about your story for a moment. Read about different South Asian cultures. Find bloggers and novelists from those cultures. Learn about general stereotypes, not just for South Asian groups, but for people who aren't white in general. Read anything and everything, because you don't know what it is you don't know.

Then go back to your story.

Totally agree. Research by any other name.

Originally Posted by Keyan

I'm South Asian. I think the tricky bit - and I face this too, sometimes when I use South Asia as a setting - is the temptation is to use the dark "exotic" elements. Female infanticide. Ill-treatment of elephants. Arranged marriages. The caste system. Poverty and slums.

As an Indian who has visited India often, I think they make great stories, whether in the hands of Western (a few) or Indian (many) writers.

[Rachel Udin]

Originally Posted by Evasan

As far as I know, Prakrit wasn't confined to the women folks only. As far as the sedentary lifestyles being unfair women is concerned, it is a fact that the some of the some of the learned women in the ancient Aryan civilizations in the subcontinent like Gargi and Kathi were only the product of such social systems.

But having said that I am not sure if anybody should take umbrage of any kind if a particular culture or traditions is depicted in a science fiction story.

On point 1. I said used to be. As in a long, long time ago, Sanskrit and Prakrit were most likely registers of the same language. They separated much, much later. I read a long and detailed linguistic paper on it. Where it showed that Prakrit was most likely a female form of speech...

On Point 2. Being learned has nothing to do with oppression of women. Also heavy agriculture is more likely to produce the effects I talked about. Early transitions from say, forager or horticulture won't. This takes a while. You need enough surplus, etc. Oppression of women has nothing really to do with education. There are so many more factors. (Basic Women's studies...) For example, Al-Andalus had women encouraged to learn as well, even math. Sparta encouraged women to exercise and keep healthy. However, opportunities to power and position were severely different to those of men.

On Point 3. I think that's quite unfair.
If you have read Victoria Foyt... uhh... how is that not racist?

Also, if you have enslavement on a colony with references to "fluffy white" material to make clothes. And call it by a smeerp name and then write it so that the series says that the "slaves have to get over it" I don't think that would float very well just because it's fantasy.

Just because it's spec fic, doesn't mean that it won't or can't be racist. The spec label doesn't exempt it. The thing is, you're marketing to an audience. If it quacks like a duck, looks like a duck and moves like a duck (barring all other language names for it), it's likely a duck.

Also, in order to build a culture properly, you still have to know what you're doing. Stepping in it isn't pleasant. And if you're caught on bad facts is one thing. If you're caught putting down a group of people just because you've set it on another world, then you're just asking for a crap storm.