ABSTRACT
The simultaneous perpetuation and dismantling of cultural stereotypes has particular shaping effects on the construction of identity in children of multicultural societies. The transmission of culture - specifically, of values and traditions - is a primary concern among parents and educators, especially in today's globalized world. While most cultural theorists and educators agree that culture fashions identity, the process of transmission and the aspects of culture considered appropriate for transmission are often contested. The perception that grandparents and older relatives are the best purveyors of tradition and culture is particularly prevalent in the Asian subcontinent. In a discussion of nation states and national identity, Chris Barker points out that Benedict Anderson's concept of national identity cloaks differences of class and ethnicity because national cultural identities are not always coterminous with states, as is evident from the existence of global diaspora like the Indian, African and Jewish communities.
