International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

More Than a Face: The Mizo Experience of Being Indian in a World of Stereotypes.

The experience of being Indian is often mediated through visible markers of identity, including language, culture, and physical appearance. For many people from Northeast India, particularly the Mizo community, these markers frequently become sources of exclusion and misrecognition both within India and abroad. This paper, “More Than a Face: The Mizo Experience of Being Indian in a World of Stereotypes,” examines the complex intersections of ethnicity, nationality, race, and identity that shape the lived experiences of Mizos. It explores how stereotypical assumptions based on East Asian physical features often lead to questioning of their Indian identity, resulting in experiences of othering, racial discrimination, and social marginalization. Drawing upon personal narratives, historical context, and existing scholarship on identity and belonging, the study investigates how Mizos negotiate their place within the broader Indian nation-state while simultaneously confronting external perceptions that associate Indianness with narrowly defined racial and cultural characteristics. The paper argues that the persistent questioning of Mizo identity reveals deeper issues concerning the construction of national identity and the invisibility of India’s ethnic diversity in mainstream discourse. At the same time, the study highlights the resilience of the Mizo people in asserting a multifaceted identity that embraces both their distinct ethnic heritage and their citizenship within a pluralistic India. By foregrounding voices and experiences that are often overlooked, the paper challenges dominant narratives of nationality based on appearance and advocates for a more inclusive understanding of Indian identity.