'The Great British Asian Invasion', shown on Channel 4 in October was a great programmeme to watch, speaking from the point-of-view of a 2nd generation Pakistani born in Britain; I was a little apprehensive about the title of the programmeme, perhaps thinking that it had connotations of Enoch Powell’s 'Rivers of Blood' speech, but eventually thought that the title was appropriate given the significant contribution the Asian community has made to British life, not only in terms of ethnic diversity, but also by the contribution the community has made to the British economy.

Before I continue, I must add that the term Asian should not solely apply to those from the Indian Sub-Continent (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India); but also includes those who migrated to East Africa who were subsequently expelled from Uganda, and not forgetting, and which the programme did not mention, those from the Far East and the Middle East who, in their own ways, have also made a contribution to the British way of life. However, for the purposes of the programme shown and this review, the term Asian would be applied to those from the Indian Sub-Continent and those fleeing persecution from East Africa (Kenya and Uganda).

For someone living the 'best of both worlds' who is combining two cultures – British and Pakistani, not to mention being a Muslim, I must admit that I learnt a lot from the programme, although I did disagree with some of the stereotypes conveyed, which probably had a negative image - two particular ethnic groups that came to Britain mostly in the 1960s – the Pakistanis and Bangaldeshis.

The first part of the programme focused on the different groups of Asians who came here in the sixties and seventies, and who in their own ways helped to change the face of Britain while enjoying varying degrees of personal success.

Bangladeshis – fleeing civil war in 1971, then flood and famine – according to the programme, turned their hands to cooking. Many of them weren't actually chefs; it was just a way of making a living. But they happened to arrive during a recession, at a time when English food was, well – to put it lightly – basic.

By flavouring meat and vegetables with a whole array of wonderful herbs and spices, they not only introduced Britain to foreign tastes, but transformed Britain’s eating habits.

The Indians from East Africa – around 90,000 of them from Uganda, ordered out by Idi Amin – brought their traditions of enterprise and ran many independent convenience stores and corner shops.

The least successful – according to the programme – were the Pakistanis, who worked in manufacturing industries. Although apprehensive of the stereotype the programme had about Pakistanis mostly going to the manufacturing and factory sector, I was encouraged to hear that their work in the manufacturing industries in the North helped to prop up the foundations of the British economy.

According to the programme, the most successful were the doctors, some 5,000 coming in the early '60s – 4,000 of them as graduates from Indian medical colleges established by the British. Sadly the aspirations of many to become consultants were rarely realised, with most becoming GPs - sometimes in remote parts of Britain. Although this seems to have changed with time.

Looking to the present, many young Asians still cling to the values which their parents brought here in the 60s and 70s: hard work, enterprise, family life and for one who has had it for the whole of my school, college and university life - education, education and education!

As someone once wrote: "Britishness has always been a work in progress". This certainly rings true of the contribution Asian immigrants to the UK and their families have made to the medical profession, the small business sector and the nation’s tastebuds.

What the listing said...

Britain's Asians are very often regarded as a single homogenous community, providing curry, electrical goods and a late-night pint of milk, always available as doctors, lawyers and accountants, playing bhangra and playing cricket, and yet increasingly - just maybe - rioting and acting as a dangerous terrorist fifth column in the country's midst.

Written by Safraz Manzoor, 'The Great British Asian Invasion' explodes these popular generalisations to tell you everything you wanted to know about your Asian neighbours, but were afraid to ask. It's an entertaining and irreverent user’s guide to Britain's Asian communities that reveals how the professions and businesses that are lumped together as Asian are each the preserve of a different community, each with a strange tale to tell.

'Bombay Dreams', 'Bend It Like Beckham', 'Bollywood in Selfridges': over the past few years Britain has begun to embrace British Asian culture; a culture which has gained in confidence becoming a dynamic, colourful fusion able to take on the world. With the aid of archive and personal reminiscences, the film explains the diversity of Britain's Asians. It reveals how different groups came from different countries at different times, settling in different areas and occupying different parts of British life, forging new lives and irrevocably changing British society.

A wide range of voices contribute their insights and recollections: Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Art Malik, Archie Panjabi and Shobna Gulati. Literary figures such as Hanif Kureishi, Lord Bikkhu Parekh and Jatinder Verma give strong perspectives, as do the broadcasters Krishnan Guru-Murthy, George Alagiah and Nihal. The film looks at past and present Asian influence on the music scene, culminating with Rishi Rich, Jay Sean and Juggy D. And successful young businessfolk such as Ruby Hammer (the founder of Ruby & Millie Cosmetics) speak about the entrepreneurial spirit that lies behind their business success. Their stories are rounded out by the recollections of people such as Mal Young, Controller of BBC Drama Series, and Lord Norman Tebbit, who reveal their memories of the pivotal moments in British/Asian relations, and the changes they have witnessed.

Book Review: Dictionary of Race, Ethnicity & Culture
Edited by Guido Bolaffi, Raffaele Bracalenti, Peter Braham and Sandro Gindaro, Sage Publications, 2002
Review by Elvira Doghem-Rashid, EDR Research

Race, ethnicity and culture are all concepts that are discussed and written about daily, using a wide array of words and terms. Sometime de-coding the terminology, as well as the associated historical debates, and integrating them into the context can be challenging. Sometimes it can be just downright confusing.

For me this was bought into sharp focus when researching public attitudes towards 'multiculturalism' in Britain. All I have to say on the matter is, who knew there were so many meanings, often contradictory, for one word? Well, I certainly know now…

While this book does not provide a convenient list of the various meanings of multiculturalism, it gives a useful overview of its use, development of the term and associated ideas and phrases.

As a quick reference guide to many misunderstood words, frequently used in national debates, this book is a useful companion to those wanting to get to grips with the concepts under discussion – particularly debates and concepts expressed in academic literature.

Also, for those that want to know a little more, the book provides a reading list for each entry. My only criticism of the book is that it could do with visual indicators of the start of each new letter on the page edge, à la the phone book!