Indian 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. Life Behind the Lobby explains Indian Americans' simultaneous accomplishments and marginalization and takes a close look at their own role in sustaining that duality.
"For many motel owners, Dhingra says, it's more than a job. 'They talk about it in the same way as if they'd built their own car-in a really sincere and emotional way,' he said, adding that when he'd walk through a motel with the owners, they would often brag about how they'd done remodeling, new wiring or put in new carpeting. 'It's not just a business to them; it's a way of life. They may not ma
Voice of America
"Life Behind the Lobby assesses a central debate about U.S. migration: should the achievements of self-employed migrants be regarded as evidence of the openness, tolerance, and meritocracy of an increasingly neoliberal American society, or should their sacrifices, confrontations with racism, and feelings of social marginalization be taken as proof of the enduring place of discrimination, inequalit
Michigan State University, author of The Store in the Hood: A Century of Business and Conf
"In Life Behind the Lobby, Dhingra, who was born in India but grew up in the US, tells how Indian Americans came to dominate the motel business. . . Dhingra's empathy for the motel owners he has interviewed is obvious in the easy way he begins to speak in their words, whether quoting directly or simply imagining himself in their shoes. . . Dhingra's expertise in connection with Indian American mot
