
Study of South Asian Indian Immigrant Lives in the GTA
The Study of South Asian Indian Immigrant Lives (SAIL) is a community-based, participatory and collaborative ethnographic study. In this project, Dr. Ganapathy-Coleman is currently examining how Indian Hindu, Muslim and Sikh immigrant families in the Greater Toronto Area's Peel region actively construct new forms of cultural authenticity through daily practices. Rather than simply preserving heritage culture or assimilating into Canadian society, within these communities multiple generations simultaneously innovate heritage practices while maintaining cultural connections. The research explores how families navigate the daily work of building meaningful lives that honor heritage while responding to Canadian contexts.
Ganapathy-Coleman's research projects investigate human development through a cultural lens, examining how families negotiate identity, values, and belonging within transnational environments. Combining developmental psychology with insights from anthropology, sociology, and the humanities, she employs qualitative, especially ethnographic, approaches to explore:
Cultural Psychology of Immigration
How first- and second-generation immigrants and their families maintain, adapt, and transform cultural practices while building their lives in North America.
Cultural Development and Parenting
How culturally specific parental beliefs (ethnotheories) shape child-rearing practices, examining the developmental implications of cultural transmission in immigrant families.
Intercultural Relationships
The psychological dynamics of intercultural and interracial partnerships, exploring how couples navigate identity, cultural values, and family relationships across cultural boundaries.
Identity Development in Transnational Contexts
How children, youth, and adults construct and negotiate their identities within and across cultural communities, examining both psychological processes and social contexts.
Artist: Anandam; Photo by P. Ganapathy
Photo by Sonia Malik
Photo by Hema Ganapathy
Photo by Sonia Malik
Photo by Sohaib Mirza
Photo by Paramjeet Kaur Dhami