In October, the government of Pakistan announced that it would expel all undocumented foreigners, including 1.7 million Afghans—one of the country’s largest immigrant communities. This includes those who were born in, brought up, married, had children, and then they raised their families, all within in Pakistan. Many of them had fled from the Taliban and are terrified of heading back to the Taliban government. In the past month, we've seen heartbreaking scenes where Afghan students bid farewell to their Pakistani classmates with heartfelt hugs, and at the border, long lines of trucks were laden with the possessions of Afghan families. The United Nations agencies and human rights organizations have widely criticized Pakistan's practice of forcefully returning refugees. This is cruelty on a massive scale. In today's episode we sit with Sanaa Alimia, author of "Refugee Cities: How Afghans Changed Urban Pakistan," and delve into a thought-provoking discussion on the intricate dynamics surrounding Afghan refugees in Pakistan. We look at their history, their current situation, and most importantly, we shed light on their humanity. Get the book: https://amzn.to/46wuQWn Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768  

We sit with Indian-American musician, music producer, and songwriter Sid Sriram, who is currently one of the most popular playback singers in India and has recently released his English-language studio album, 'Sidharth'. Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

In India, Christians account for about 2% to 3% of the population. However, in the state of Kerala, Christians make up a remarkable 18% to 19% of the total population. And among them, Syrian Christians play a significant role, representing almost half of Kerala's Christian population. Although the Syrian Christians of Kerala are a minority, they are also a caste-, race-, and class-privileged minority that have historically benefited from their privileged position within society. And if the Syrian Christians are the dominant community, then it is also necessary to look at the subordinated communities, as they represent the minority within the minority. Our guest today is Sonja Thomas, author of, 'Privileged Minorities: Syrian Christianity, Gender, and Minority Rights in Postcolonial India' and together we will discuss the Christians of Kerala, specifically the Syrian Christians, and navigate the intricacies of caste, gender, class, race, religion, and language. Get the book: https://amzn.to/3OD8MUF Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

The Rohingya are widely recognized as one of the most persecuted and vulnerable communities in the world. They are a people that much of the world keeps forgetting. For centuries, they called Burma/Myanmar their home, but being victims of persecution as a result of ethnic cleansing and genocide, they were forced to flee to neighbouring countries. and now, over a million Rohingyas endure life in cramped refugee camps in Bangladesh. Excluded as illegal migrants by both Myanmar and Bangladesh, they face unimaginable hardships, including unemployment, mental and sexual abuse, and the denial of basic human necessities. We sit with journalist Kaamil Ahmed, author of ‘I Feel No Peace: Rohingya Fleeing Over Seas and Rivers,’ and explore the haunting question: has the world failed the Rohingya? Get the book: https://amzn.to/42M2KFo Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768 Photo by Kevin Frayer

In 2006, just after Hurrincan Katrina, hundreds of Indian workers were lured to the United States with false promises of a green card and forced to work under grueling working conditions at a shipyard in Mississippi. It would become one of the largest human trafficking schemes in U.S. history. When one of those workers called labor organizer Saket Soni for help, it set off an epic chain of events that led him to engineering their escape from the work camp and set them off on a path to citizenship. We sit with Saket Soni, author of 'The Great Escape: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America' as he recounts their heroic journey for justice.  Get the book: https://amzn.to/42Svz2B Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

We sit with Jessica Hinchy, author of 'Governing Gender and Sexuality in Colonial India', and discuss the Hijra community during colonial rule. When the British ruled the subcontinent, one of their preferred methods of control was classification; they grouped and categorized people, reducing them inside their boxes. However, the British were not able to define the Hijra community into a category and that caused the British see them as threat. So what solution did the British come up with? They decided to exterminate the Hijra community through laws and policing.   Get the book: https://amzn.to/3WhMVDQ   Book mentioned on the episode: https://amzn.to/3ohbfJC Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768