FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23:
Indian Immigration, Labor, and COVID-19 in the Gulf.

Research presentations on the experiences of middle class Indians in the UAE and Qatar, by Neha Vora (Lafayette College) and on Indian laborers in the UAE, by Andrea Wright (William and Mary), with discussant, Dina Siddiqi (NYU), introduced by David Ludden (NYUNY and NYUAD).

The global pandemic has intensified inequalities globally. In the Arabian Peninsula, the coronavirus pandemic has taken a particularly heavy toll on immigrant populations. In the case of immigrants who work as manual laborers and live in dormitory housing, the pandemic has heightened their concerns over unemployment, deportation, and infection. Middle-class immigrants, too, contend with rising unemployment and many have chosen to return to India. In addition, xenophobia is on the rise in Gulf countries as all residents are living in a state of heightened insecurity. In this discussion, Andrea Wright and Neha Vora will explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Indian diasporic communities, their employment, and their everyday lives in the Gulf. We will introduce audience members to our research among different Indian immigrant populations and explore how our interlocutors are affected by state and local responses to the pandemic.