Identity and Cultural Dissonance 
March 31st and April 1st, 2023
University at Buffalo, SUNY
 
We present the fifth annual Rustgi Undergraduate Conference on South Asia by reflecting upon the rich history of South Asia and its connection to present-day conditions. We invite papers on the theme of “Identity and Cultural Dissonance,” which may be interpreted broadly in its social or political sense. Different cross cultural identities have shaped larger social movements within history and have inspired both unification and disunification efforts across the region of South Asia. This topic seeks to explore the power in identity and evaluate the impacts this has within a cross-cultural landscape. The 2023 Rustgi conference will feature a keynote lecture from Shahana Hanif, a Bangladeshi American serving on the New York City Council for the 39th District, who also serves as a council member within the Participatory Budgeting sector and is an advocate for tenants’ rights as well as a gender justice.