{"product_id":"life-behind-the-lobby-indian-american-motel-owners-and-the-american-dream-paperback","title":"Life Behind the Lobby: Indian American Motel Owners and the American Dream - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003ePawan Dhingra\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndian Americans own about half of all the motels in the United States. Even more remarkable, most of these motel owners come from the same region in India and--although they are not all related--seventy percent of them share the surname of Patel. Most of these motel owners arrived in the United States with few resources and, broadly speaking, they are self-employed, self-sufficient immigrants who have become successful--they live the American dream. However, framing this group as embodying the American dream has profound implications. It perpetuates the idea of American exceptionalism--that this nation creates opportunities for newcomers unattainable elsewhere--and also downplays the inequalities of race, gender, culture, and globalization immigrants continue to face. Despite their dominance in the motel industry, Indian American moteliers are concentrated in lower- and mid-budget markets. \u003ci\u003eLife Behind the Lobby\u003c\/i\u003e explains Indian Americans' simultaneous accomplishments and marginalization and takes a close look at their own role in sustaining that duality.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePawan Dhingra is Associate Professor of Sociology at Oberlin College and Museum Curator (2011-2012) at the Smithsonian Institution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 264\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.57 x 8.49 x 5.58 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 25, 2012\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45889540587717,"sku":"9780804778831","price":43.69,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0757\/6718\/5605\/files\/vtqS6UB5Kt9780804778831.webp?v=1781303139","url":"https:\/\/selloorium.com\/products\/life-behind-the-lobby-indian-american-motel-owners-and-the-american-dream-paperback","provider":"Selloorium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}