Constructed identities and appropriated spaces : an exploratory study of South Asian identity and space in Toronto

"South Asian" is a term commonly used in Canada to refer to individuals with ancestry in the Indian subcontinent and surrounding countries. The label has been created through Canada's means of statistical data collection on visible minority populations. Drawing from sociological, cultural studies, and geographic literature, this exploratory study seeks to determine the reciprocal relationship between South Asian identities as they are considered in Canada and urban space in Toronto. The research has been conducted through a critical review of literature regarding ethnic identity, hybridity, the production of urban space, and two key informant interviews. The key findings of the research suggest that South Asian identities are often multiple/situational, and that certain aesthetic aspects of South Asian identity are displayed in urban spaces in Toronto which may be labelled South Asian. These spaces may be considered hybrid spaces.