The Buddha of Suburbia

The novel The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi demonstrates how hybrid identities are always in motion through the life of the character Karim. From the beginning of the novel Karim's hybrid identity is brought to the reader's attention: "My name is Karim Amir, and I am an Englishman born and bred, almost. I am often considered to be a funny kind of Englishman, a new breed as it were, having emerged from two old histories" (3). Karim was born English, yet is tied to his Indian roots everywhere he goes. He gets into acting and is cast-typed in every role, even though he has never even been to India. No one seems to see him as an Englishman, although he is. This shapes his identity and is able to change with each person he comes in contact with. McLeod states "They [hybrid identities] are border subjectivities, no longer reliant on fixed notions of home identity to anchor them to a singular sense of self" (254). Just as in Karim's case, he has no sense of "home" or belonging to one group, whether it be the English or the Indian. Karim's back and forth sexuality throughout the novel also plays a part in demonstrating how hybrid identities are always in motion. He never picks one gender over the other, never revealing his true sexual preference. This is just another reflection of not belonging to one place or the other. McLeod claims that "hybrid identities are never total and complete in themselves. . ."(254). Hybrid identities are always changing and never settling, and Karim's life is a perfect example of such.

 

What is hybridity?

Hybridity is a cross between two races or cultures. Hybridity plays a huge role in the lives of young people across the world. It affects every aspect of their lives, from relationships to work to family life. It often leads to internal struggles, as young people strive to find who they are and where they fit in the world.

 

 

This book examines the different lives and lifestyles of youth across the globe. It takes a close look at hybrid identities among young people today, and uses this to understand their actions and choices. "Showcasing previously unpublished youth research from outside the English-speaking world alongside the work of well-known researchers such as Huq and Holden, these accounts of youth cultural practices highlight much that is predictably different, but also a great deal of common ground. This book goes inside creative cultural formation of youth identities to critically examine the global in the local. Bringing together an internationally diverse group of researchers, who describe and analyze youth cultures throughout Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania, this volume presents the first comprehensive review of global youth cultures, practices and identities, and as such is a valuable read for students and researchers of youth studies, cultural studies and sociology" (Amazon). Take a closer look at the book at Global Youth