Girmit to Global: Call for Chapters | Co-Edited Volume on Girmitiya Diaspora (2026)

Girmit to Global is a forthcoming peer-reviewed, co-edited academic volume that examines the historical foundations and contemporary legacies of the Girmitiya (Indian indentured labour) diaspora across the Caribbean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific.

Moving beyond narratives that focus solely on displacement and suffering, the volume foregrounds agency, resilience, and the enduring contributions of Girmitiya communities to modern economies, societies, political institutions, and transnational identities. Bringing together interdisciplinary scholarship, the book seeks to advance Girmitiya Studies as a vital and evolving field within migration, labour, and diaspora studies.

Themes and Sub-Themes

Contributors are invited to submit chapter proposals on (but not limited to) the following themes:

• Historical Foundations of Indenture
• Economy, Labour, and Development
• Society, Culture, and Social Transformation
• Politics, Citizenship, and Governance
• Law, Rights, and Justice
• Memory, Identity, and Transnationalism
• Comparative and Theoretical Perspectives

Submission Guidelines

• Abstract length: 300–400 words
• Abstracts should clearly outline the research question, methodology, key argument, and contribution
• Author details must include name, institutional affiliation, short bio (100 words), and email address

📧 Submit abstracts to:
publish@psfresearch.com

Email subject line:
Girmit to Global Co-Edited Volume – Abstract Submission

Important Dates

• 25 February 2026 – Abstract submission deadline
• 28 February 2026 – Acceptance notification
• 20 April 2026 – First draft submission
• 31 May 2026 – Final revised chapter
• July 2026 – Publication

Editors

• Prakash Kumar Jha (Co-Editor), Pravasi Setu Foundation
• Dilip Giri (Co-Editor), Girmitiya Foundation

About the Institutions

The Pravasi Setu Foundation is a Section 8 nonprofit research and policy think tank based in New Delhi, India, focused on migration and diaspora studies, labour mobility, and development.

The Girmitiya Foundation is an India-based organisation dedicated to research, documentation, cultural preservation, and community engagement related to the history and contemporary realities of the Girmitiya diaspora.