A JOURNEY OF MULTI-ROOTED BELONGINGS

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World as Family, as articulated by Vishakha N. Desai, argues for the kind of openness that can thrive in the scruffiness of reality, rather than pushing for artificial clarity. It embraces all points of the compass, privileging the fluidity that emerges from intertwined diversity over sharp divisions. As challenging as it is to achieve one’s center or balance amidst the unprecedented and interconnected challenges we face as a global community, it is also essential to find that personal balance while navigating the currents of global belonging and identity and belonging.

World as Family is crafted for both the young people who are 'global natives' and those of us who have embraced the concept of global belonging over a lifetime spent traversing long distances in time and space—physically, conceptually, culturally, and emotionally. This personal chronicle by Vishakha N. Desai seeks to reclaim the notion of global belonging as a palimpsest, allowing the layers of local, national, and transnational identities to coexist and intermingle. While these layers may sometimes appear messy and intertwined, their proximity alters them, blurring edges but allowing the uniqueness of each layer to be felt palpably. This book narrates a life lived amidst the comingled realities of personal identity and belonging, and the collective experiences of the local and the global, aiming to foster a new sense of worldly belonging essential for the survival of humankind.