Abstract

An unambiguous absence in the study of South Asian diasporized populations occurs when considering popular cultural forms. Writing for the `Other' rather than reading and listening to their texts has marked anthropological and other social science discourse. Beginning to fill in the void, this article focuses on the musical form Bhangra and its specific articulation in diasporized domains. A close consideration of the lyrical and musical context of a number of song texts brings forward a number of themes. At the centre of these songs is the experience of migration and its social and political consequences.