Alice Shantala Colombo (Cameri, Italy)

Dr. Alice Shantala Colombo
freelance researcher
Cameri, ITALY

phone: 39/347-469-8301
email: alice.colombo.shantala@gmail.com

Description of work: 

Alice Shantala Colombo is now a freelance researcher dealing on migration 
in Italy. Besides, from 2009 she is the Vice President of Yllary 
Association, a volunteering association based in Novara (Italy), whose 
aims are to promote integration/interaction between natives and migrant 
women through cultural events and to support migrant women facing the many 
practical problems (i.e. permits, family joining visas). She has took also 
a specialization on Demography and Sociology of International Migration.
In 2002 she conducted a study for her final university thesis based on 
post colonial and gender studies. The title of the thesis is "The empire 
writes from within: The Kali Theatre Company".
 
The paper is an overview of South Asian Diaspora to the United Kingdom and 
its cultural expression in theatre, with a particular attention to women 
artistic productions.
 
After a short introduction on South Asian Diaspora and reflections on 
terms choices, the paper focus on United Kingdom analysing the evolution 
of South Asian presence in theatre from its origins in 19th century 
(ayahs, lazars and princes R. Visram, 1986), though World War 2, theatre 
in original language, urban theatre of the 70s and 80s to the 90s, 
including history of Arts Council Founding System and its policy.
 
After an overlook at the context the paper examines South Asian women 
experiencing Diaspora through the production of Kali Theatre Company from 
1990 to 2003. Kali Theatre Company is a group founded in 1990 in London by 
writer Rukhsana Ahmad and actress Rita Wolf, whose aim is to support South 
Asian women presence in British theatre, both as actresses than as 
playwriters.
 
The paper moves from an historical point of view to sociological aspects 
of Diaspora, through the words of the women interviewed, trying to make 
emerge experiences that have been obliterated by history and analysis for 
many years, and still now are often forget and left at margin.
 
South Asian women in UK suffer a double alterity, being women and South 
Asian, that is increased and underlined in the artistic field. In the 
meanwhile they are challenging the male dualistic system of 
centre/periphery because woman place themselves in the hic et nunc, this 
means that in the Diaspora they are writing and acting in the centre.
 
She will present this research at the International conference "Diaspora 
and Development: Prospects and Implications for Nation States" Delhi (India)
on 7-8 September 2011