On May 5-6, 2023, the Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies at the University of California Riverside (UCR) hosted the 8th International Sikh Studies Conference. Sikhs have been a part of the social fabric of North America for more than 150 years. When discussing the history of Sikhs in North America, there are a series of key events which drastically impacted the Sikh narrative in North America. These events include, but are not limited to, the Anti-Asian riots across the Pacific Northwest, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind of 1923, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the Oak Creek Gurdwara massacre in August of 2012. Major anniversaries for some of these catalyst moments occurred between 2021 and 2023. These include the 100^th anniversary of the U.S. v. Thind (2023), the 20^th anniversary of Balbir Singh Sodhi’s murder following the 9/11 attacks (2021), and the 10^th anniversary of the Oak Creek Gurdwara massacre (2022). In addition, 2023 will also be the 50th anniversary of the registration of Sikh Dharma International as a recognized non-profit 501c (3) religious organization in the United States. And with all the fallout from the recent news of Yogi Bhajan’s misconduct during his reign, it might be an appropriate time for updated reflections on Punjabi Sikh and Gora Sikh relations in North America. Scholarship and community activism surrounding Anti-Sikh hate incidents and the archiving of Sikh history on the continent within the past twenty years were developed because of the rise of antagonism, abuse, and discrimination following the two latter incidents. Given the recent anniversaries, the 8^th Sikh Studies Conference at UC Riverside, Sikhs in North America: Remembering Key Historical Events, Challenges and Responses,served as an opportunity to reflect upon the scholarship of Sikhs in North America, and the interconnectedness of many historical threads across boundaries and borders from numerous perspectives and approaches to touch on intersectional issues such as: racialization, ethnicity, class, gender, criminalization, anti-Sikh hate, Sikh activism (past and present), assimilation, inclusivity, intergenerational trauma, education, and other relevant topics.

Events began Friday with Dr. Daryle Williams –Dean for the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at UCR – inaugurating the conference and welcoming the global audience. Dean Williams shared that the conference was an excellent opportunity for educational and academic exchange and debate within the field of Sikh Studies. Following an introduction by Dr. Pashaura Singh, Dr. Parminder Kaur Bhachu delivered the keynote speech on “Migration, Creativity, Innovation: Sikh Migrants and Values Define the 21st Century.” In her keynote address, Dr. Bhachu shares her latest work Movers and Makers in which she forcefully argues that immigrants are the most innovative people in the world. Furthermore, the intrinsic Sikh sensibilities of collaboration, of sharing, and of radical generosity as reflected in egalitarian Sikh institutions, have much in common with the contemporary “equalizing” movements of open-source and licensing technologies, free-souls sharism, crowdsourcing, participative pedagogy, and the creative commons. Historic Sikhs traditions are thus absolutely in sync with the currents of our times and catalyze diasporic creativity.

Dr. Louis Fenech offered a response to the keynote speech beginning with a self-reflexive note that this conference itself is a result of “movers and makers” like those discussed by Dr. Bhachu in her book. Dr. Fenech brought an historian’s perspective as he noted the Punjab’s history as a frontier in which “Islamicate and Indic ideas, values, peoples, movers, and makers interacted and exchanged.” Dr. Fenech used 17th-18th century Sikh poet Bhai Nand Lal as an illustrative example of one such historical “mover and maker” as he immigrated to the Punjab from Ghazni and “conveyed Sikh teachings” in “the language of Islam modified to Indian tastes,” all while simultaneously drawing from and pushing back against the Persian literary tradition in his poetic creations. Dr. Fenech considered several Sikh values in turn, each “gloriously delineated” in Movers and Makers. Dr. Fenech’s last point was about “eternal optimism” (chardi kala) and the final term in the Ardas, “welfare of all” (sarbat da bhala), as co–dependant and binding values expressed by the figures in Dr. Bhachu’s book. Dr. Fenech ended on the point that, not only the interviewees in Dr. Bhachu’s book, but also the members of the present conference “collectively reveal the creativity and the resilience and sharing in a fragile and uncertain world.” 

Panel discussions then began with an analysis on “Public Perception, Multiculturalism, Race and Gender” amongst Sikhs in North America. The first panelist of the conference, Dr. Prema Ann Kurien, shared her current work, which draws on a larger project (conducted between 2013 and 2020), comparing the patterns of political involvement and activism of Sikhs, and Hindus, (from India, Sri Lanka, and Guyana) in Canada and the U.S. She examined the reasons for the different profiles of Sikhs in the public spheres in Canada and the U.S. despite fairly similar patterns of migration to the two countries. Dr. Kurien detailed how Canadian Sikhs have made great strides in participating in the political system and in obtaining public recognition for Sikhs. In contrast to Canada, in the U.S. Sikhs remain largely socially and politically invisible. She discussed how U.S. Sikh mobilization for civil rights has consequently been a post-9/11 phenomenon, led by several newly formed second-generation organizations. The second panelist, Dr. Sasha Sabherwal, focuses on the Sikh diaspora of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) to trace how multicultural discourse has “obfuscated state sanctioned racial violence” of Sikhs beginning in the 1980s and 1990s continuing into the present. She draws from analysis of Deepa Mehta’s film Beeba Boys as well as ethnographic fieldwork that analyzes the images of the ‘Surrey Jack’ and the ‘Kent Boy,’ stereotypes attached to Punjabi men in the PNW. Using this, Dr. Sabherwal argued that contemporary masculinities draw on stereotypes, which characterized Punjabi Sikh men as ‘dangerous,’ to reveal the limits of racial inclusion. To close out the opening panel, Dr. Amritjit Singh linked the racialization of Sikhs to previous groups who were targeted in the U.S. including Black Americans and East Asian Americans. He argues that race and class have always been part of the Sikh American experience, but must always be discussed in conversation with the experiences of other communities. 

The second panel of the conference featured a roundtable discussion on “American Fascism and Sikh Precarity” which reflected on the rise of fascism and nationalist politics in America and the experience of Sikhs navigating an increasingly hostile attitude towards religious minorities. Dr. Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair began the discussion by sharing his own life experience growing up in Coventry, U.K., which had a tangible presence of white-supremacist fascists known as “skinheads” who frequently assaulted minorities. Dr. Mandair also shared his experience teaching this topic in classes, introducing his syllabus for “Race, Caste and Religion in India and the USA” to the audience. This course compared race and caste in the U.S. and India contrasting, for example, the plight of Dalits (Untouchables) in India with the African American experience, and explores “the language and construction of race, nation, religion, color , and ethnicity, as well as the linkages between these categories.” The course also explored racial and religious profiling in the wake of the “War on Terror” in the U.S. and India. Dr. G.S. Sahota shared parts of his latest book chapter titled “Elementary Aspects of Fascist Insurgency: Connected Histories of Europe, India, and the U.S.” Dr. Sahota drew lessons from Italian Holocaust survivor Primo Levi’s reflections on fascism, and noted a shared semiotics of fascist politics around the world, labeling this as an “international language of fascism” in contexts like Italy, Germany, India, and the U.S. Respondent, Dr. Anneeth Kaur Hundle, discussed the rise of Trumpism and the use of “fascism” as a “floating signifier” employed by the left and right in the U.S., and highlighted the ways in which racism is “entangled with religion” in a “Christian ethno-racial project” within American right-wing politics. Additionally, Dr. Hundle drew connections to her work in East Africa and Uganda which explored the relationship between colonialism and fascism. Finally, Dr. Hundle also shared her own experience teaching a course on race, religion, and caste, and remarked that studying fascism can be therapeutic for students struggling to make sense of the rise of nationalist politics and anti-minority violence around them. 

In the third panel, Dr. Tavleen Kaur and Dr. Amrit Deol are in conversation with one another discussing “Race, Citizenship, and the Sikhs” in the early 1900s. Dr. Tavleen Kaur argues that much like Sikhs in the United States today, Bhagat Singh Thind was a diasporic subject seeking social, cultural, and political recognition in a settler-colonial state. By providing critical perspectives on Thind’s legal battles with the United States and contextualizing them in relation to contemporary Sikh advocacy, she illustrates how Thind being co-opted as an exemplary “Sikh American” model is somewhat incongruent with his own evolving beliefs and choices. In her paper, “‘Gilded Cages’: Race, Labor, Citizenship, and the Fabrication of the ‘Hindu’ in the American West,” Dr. Amrit Deol, explores the debates surrounding the question “who is the ‘Hindu?’” in the United States in the early 1900s to depict how the racialized category of “Hindu” was fabricated and constantly curated throughout the early 20th century to protect the Anglo-American claim to whiteness. 

The fourth and final panel of the first day was a roundtable on “Sikh Dharma International and Gora Sikh-Punjabi Sikh Relations.” Dr. Verne (Van) A. Dusenbery presented his “Reflections on Sikh Dharma at Fifty,” offering a useful introductory evaluation of 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization), also known as Sikh Dharma, from the 70’s to today. Dr. Dusenbery reflected on the difficulties this group has had in seeking legitimacy as part of the Sikh panth, as well as the role Sikh Dharma has had in spreading Sikhism in North America. Dr. Dusenbery then read highlights from Dr. Sangeeta Luthra’s paper, “From Charismatic Hierarchy to Autonomous Sangats: A Personal Reflection on the Evolution of 3HO Sikh Dharma Community.” Dr. Luthra describes the shift from an organization centered on its charismatic founder toward “autonomous sangats,” and she also echoed a couple of Dr. Dusenbery’s points, namely that Sikh Dharma has been instrumental in raising awareness of Sikhism in North America as well as advocating for anti-casteism and equal participation for women in Sikh worship. Philip Deslippe presented “Remembering 3HO as a New Religious Movement” wherein he evaluated 3HO as a New Religious Movements with a charismatic leader. Deslippe covered a number of financial and sexual abuses surrounding the founder of 3HO, Harbhajan Singh Khalsa (also known as Yogi Bhajan) during the 70’s and 80’s, and also considered the use of the term “cult,” and why it was rarely applied to Sikh Dharma. Dr. Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa-Baker presented a talk “Exploring 3HO-Sikh identities: Communal Relations and Abuses of Power” and, like Philip, remarked on the struggle to establish a 3HO-Sikh identity in the wake of Yogi Bhajan, although Dr. Khalsa-Baker was also able to share valuable personal insights in her experience as a 3HO-SIkh. Dr. Khalsa-Baker described a “hermeneutic chaos” emerging from the question of whether Sikh Dharma teachings can be separated from its founding teacher, but also described how 3HO-Sikhs have charted a course of “spiritual sovereignty” and self-understanding as Sikhs. Finally, Dr. Simran it Khalsa also brought a valuable 3HO-Sikh perspective with a sociological approach, presenting “Legitimacy in 3HO/Sikh Dharma.” Her talk discussed the challenges of predominantly white Sikhs from 3HO in a predominantly Punjabi religion by analyzing community emails circulated by community leaders as examples of social “processes of legitimacy.” 

Associate Dean Gloria Gonzalez-Rivera and Dr. Harkeerat Singh Dhillon delivered special remarks at the reception dinner. Dr. Gonzalez-Rivera thanked the donors of the Jasbir Singh Saini endowment for bringing such distinguished scholars to the UCR campus, and for solidifying the study of Sikhism at UCR. She noted that this conference not only draws attention to the contributions of Sikhs in North America, but as a fellow scholar of the humanities, also noted that such a conference may “provide us with a better understanding of the human condition.” Dr. Harkeerat Singh Dhillon’s sense of humor was a welcome addition to the tenor of the evening and provided a cushion for his sincere reflection as a physician on the challenges of the past few years during the Covid pandemic. Dr. Dhillon alluded to the efforts by the Sikhs of New Delhi as they provided “oxygen langars” to all suffering the effects of the Delta variant, regardless of religious background. Echoing Associate Dean Gonzalez-Rivera’s point that there is in North America and around the world a “strong need for spiritual guidance, for solid values that inform our decisions and actions as individuals and as members of our communities,” Dr. Dhillon offered the closing observation that “seva and sharing, crossing lines of race and religion, love and caring is the key.” 

Delivering the second Keynote Speech during the evening reception, Dr. Karen Leonard shared her ethnographic work with Punjabi immigrants in Southern California and Mexico who belong to the early 20th century wave of immigration and contrasted this with the 1960’s wave of Punjabi immigration. The religious identities of her interlocutors were far more complicated than is usually assumed when labeling these immigrants strictly as “Sikhs,” and she noted that recasting the pre-1960’s “Punjabi diaspora” as a “Sikh diaspora” places emphasis on religion rather than “language, occupation, or place of origin.” Remarkably, she found that around 10-12% of these Punjabi immigrants were Muslim with a smaller percentage of Hindus as well, justifying the label “Punjabi” instead of assuming Sikh identity for all of these early immigrants. Among Dr. Leonard’s anecdotes, she provides a noteworthy example of a certain “Omar Din” declaring himself to be Hindu like his father “Muhammad Din” elicited knowing laughter from the audience at the juxtaposition of typically Muslim names with the self-identification as a Hindu. Intermarriage, often between Punjabi men and Mexican women, also contributed to complex religious identities where these predominantly Catholic women maintained their faith and raised their children in interfaith households. Throughout her talk, Dr. Leonard highlighted the sense of cosmopolitanism of the second generation of these early Punjabi immigrants where informants would identify themselves as “Catholic and Sikh” or “Catholic and Muslim” and often emphasized religions as multiple paths toward God.

Following the keynote address, six individuals were honored by Dr. Pashaura Singh for their contribution to the field of Sikh Studies. First, Dr. Parminder Bhachu was recognized for her contribution to the field of Sikh Diaspora Studies. Second, Dr. Doris Jakobsh was honored for her contribution to the field of Gender Studies in the Sikh Tradition. Third, Dr. Opinderjit Kaur Takhar was celebrated for her groundbreaking work as the Director of the Centre for Sikh and Punjabi Studies. Fourth, Dr. Robin Rinehart was recognized for her distinguished contribution to the study of Dasam Granth within the Sikh Tradition. The fifth honoree, Dr. Michael Hawley, was recognized for his work on the Alberta Sikh History Project and its impact on the field of Sikh Diaspora Studies. Finally, Dr. Parvinder Singh Khanuja was honored for his commitment to and continuous support of graduate students in Sikh Studies. 

For the first panel of Day 2, titled “Preserving, Documenting, and Narrating Sikh North American History,” the panelists each shared the practical application of their scholarship through various projects. The first panelist, Dr. Sharanjit Kaur Sandhra looks at the art of storytelling based on the power of her lived experiences as a Sikh woman and sharing Sikh stories of migration and settlement from a place of erasure, and then power, anti-colonialism, and anti-racism. She used the Sikh Heritage Museum, a National Historic Site Gur Sikh Temple, the oldest still standing gurdwara in the western hemisphere, in Abbotsford, BC, as a living site of Sikh story telling. Dr. Michael Hawley’s discussion introduced and problematized the Alberta Sikh History Project (ASHP). The project is a digital, publicly accessible, and bilingual ‘archive’ of the otherwise erased and undocumented narratives of Sikh experiences in Alberta. The archive contains a wide range of documents, recorded Sikh narratives, and interpretations of Sikh experience in the province. In addition, Dr. Hawley raised a series of concerns – methodological, theoretical, and teleological – about the limits and possibilities of such a project. Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal discussed the recent launch and subsequent work of the Sikh American History Project (SAHP). He used the idea of “siloed scholarship” to address not only the lack of focus and research about Sikh Americans, but also the limited knowledge about the community and the exclusion/under-representation of Sikh Americans in the broader Asian American and American history. Bainiwal shared multiple public projects in which SAHP brought Sikh American history to the forefront in spaces they are typically ignored or vastly under-represented such as K-12 education, museums, and historic preservation. 

The sixth panel on “White Supremacy, Violence, Right-Wing Politics and the Sikhs” featured presentations from doctoral candidates from the University of Michigan, Randeep Singh Hothi and Puninder Singh. Randeep’s presentation, titled, “The Predication, Subjective Capture, Translation of White Supremacist Violence: Semiotics Problems of the Sikh.” His talk began with an analysis of the media coverage of the Oak Creek shooting as an “expert” spoke over images of Sikh worship, addressing the ironic questioning of whether Sikhs are “violent” when they had just been victims of white supremacist violence. Noting a “Global hierarchy of consciousness” in which “the Sikh subject” is placed, he touched on the history of British colonialism and the ideology of “martial races” that racialized the Sikh subject. Randeep also reflected on a history of white supremacy and 19th century Aryanist scholarship in religion that privileged the “Aryan,” Christian universalism over what was deemed Semitic and particular, linking this back to the media coverage that asked whether Sikhs would want “an eye for an eye” (a reference to the Lex Talionis of Jewish Law) or “turn the other cheek” like Christians. Puninder discussed the adoption of right-wing politics among American Sikhs, peppering his presentation with examples from media pundits and politicians. He noted that President Trump drew support from roughly 25% of Sikhs and that the “Howdy Modi” rally had a Sikh presence showing support for both Trump and the Indian Prime Minister. Respondent Dr. Opinderjit Takhar addressed both presentations and drew in examples from the U.K. where Sikhism has an increasing presence in public religious life. Dr. Takhar addressed the “faith advisor” to the U.K. government, Colin Bloom’s recent report which spends 11 pages on “Sikh extremism” or “Khalistani extremism” (as opposed to a single paragraph on Hindu nationalism) and announced a project to offer a counter report. 

For the second half of the day, Sikh American activists addressed the issues, and every day battles they face on the ground level. Moderated Navdeep Singh (SALDEF and Sikh American History Project), the session brought together Kiran Kaur Gill (SALDEF), Jagpreet Singh (Desis Rising Up and Moving), Jaslin Kaur (Co-Chair of New York City Democratic Socialists of America), Komal Kaur Chohan (Umeed and Indianapolis sangat), Tarina Kaur Ahuja (Young Khalsa Girls), and Amaris Kaleka (Oak Creek sangat). The panel consisted of a wide range of experience from SALDEF, who has been organizing at the national level since 1996, to Amaris Kaleka, who recently began carrying on the work her father started amongst the Oak Creek community. Each individual offered their own personal reflections on the motivations and challenges they face as Sikh American activists. The Sikh American activists informed scholars about the harsh realities at the grassroot level regarding race, class, gender, and caste, among others. The young leaders addressed emerging community needs and new approaches to community building, advocacy, and organizing. Together, in conversation with Sikh scholars, Sikh American activists navigated through the issues to address how scholars and activists can work together to push for lasting change within the Sikh community.

The conference was one of its kind as it brought together scholars and activists to discuss the history and experiences of Sikhs in North America. The conference also marked an opportunity to revisit a series of key anniversaries that occurred between 2021 and 2023. Despite how drastically these events shaped the Sikh narrative in North America, the anniversaries passed without a critical analysis of the impact of each event. Young scholars are engaging more with these socio-political events leading to an evolution in the field of Sikh Studies. Finally, the conference would not have been possible without the tireless work of the organizing committee, including student volunteers and staff members who contributed to the success of the 8th International Sikh Studies Conference.

Sikh Studies in the Western Academy: Prospects and Challenges

By: Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal, Adam Tyson, and Gurbeer Singh 

On May 7-8, the Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies at the University of California Riverside (UCR) hosted the 7th International Sikh Studies Conference.

For the first time in its history, the International Sikh Studies Conference was held virtually with panelists and participants attending from across the world. In honor of Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, founder of The Sikh Foundation and a strong advocate for Sikh Studies, this particular conference focused on the prospects and challenges of Sikh Studies in the Western Academy. The early twenty-first century continues to be a very exciting time for the field of Sikh Studies. Within the last two decades scholars have begun to question prevailing approaches to the study of Sikhism in both the west and India itself to the point that this least examined and perhaps most misunderstood of South Asia’s religious and cultural traditions is now an established part of curricula and scholarly programs across North America and England. Indeed, the establishment of the Sikh Studies Group within the structure of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) is an important indicator of this change. Currently, there are nine academic endowed chairs duly established within the United States, Canada, and England, with more proposed at Berkeley, Calgary, and Birmingham. In addition, there are a growing number of scholars in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and mainland Europe in other positions whose teaching and research interests are either centrally or partially related to Sikh studies.

It should therefore elicit little surprise that undergraduate and graduate courses in Sikh studies, particularly Sikh history and religion, have increased dramatically in this period, a rise which corresponds in part to Sikh immigration into Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. A new generation of scholars and students has begun to engage with the Sikh tradition, and there has been a steady growth of scholarly literature and teaching resources on Sikhism in the last two decades. Professors, researchers, and community members from around the world shared their expertise and experience within the field of Sikh Studies – all extremely diverse in their approaches.

Events began Friday with Dr. Juliet McMullin – Interim Dean for the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at UCR – inaugurating the conference and welcoming the global audience. Dean McMullin shared that the theme is an acknowledgement to scholars’ work to engage with Sikh Studies across the globe during a time when the world needs a greater understanding about Religious Studies’ role in suffering, well-being, creating and innovating. Following an introduction by Dr. Pashaura Singh, Dr. Michael Scott Alexander delivered the keynote speech on “No Gold Standard: Jewish Studies on the American Campus.” Dr. Alexander, who has been attending the Sikh Studies Conference for over a decade, shared that as an observer he views the field of Sikh Studies as “one of the most vital and lively things happening” in the humanities and social sciences. Dr. Alexander explained the history of the creation of Jewish Studies across the American academy including the struggles, triumphs, and stimulating conversations. He continues to warn that even though the scholarly field is meant to examine the problems of the people, it tends to inhabit and repeat problems of the people. Dr. Alexander urges the audience to be open to different perspectives as it allows for people to join in conversations intelligently and with “ruthless honesty.” 

Panel discussions then began with an analysis and reflection on “The Discipline of Sikh Studies.” The first panelist of the conference, Dr. Shinder Thandi, offered his personal reflections on the historical and current state of Sikh Studies in the Sikh diaspora as an active participant in Sikh Studies over the past 45 years. Beginning with the late 1960s – noted for increased academic interest in Guru Nanak given the founder’s 500^th birth anniversary and the first major diaspora Conference on Sikh Studies at Berkeley in 1969, Dr. Thandi weaved through the successes and challenges. He questioned whether the Panth was in danger highlighting three main problems: (1) the shifting demographics of the community; (2) the growing influence of Hindutva ideology – from Chair rejected at UC Irvine and the textbook controversy in California; and (3) the gaps in understanding the Sikh tradition. Thandi suggested a potential solution is to focus more on Classical Sikh Studies to gain a better understanding of the tradition. The second panelist, Dr. Opinderjit Takhar, continued the theme of the discipline of Sikh Studies with a reflection of her journey within Sikh Studies in the United Kingdom. Dr. Takhar shared diverse experiences from the struggles of being labeled as anti-Panthic/agents of the Indian Government to the advantages of a center for Sikh and Panjabi Studies as she is the Director of the only Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies. Beginning the conference with Drs. Thandi and Takhar set the foundational basis – setting the scene about the history, challenges, and prospects of Sikh Studies in Western Academia. 

Dr. Gurharpal Singh, in his presentation entitled, “The partition of India and the Sikhs: some unspoken assumptions,” gave a fantastic presentation on the Sikh experience in the partition of 1947. He offered perspective on how the atrocious events of partition of Punjab in 1947 shaped the Sikh psyche and experience in Punjab and beyond. He offered a well-founded analysis on the situation on the ground during the partition and meticulously explained common misconceptions and revealed commonly unknown information about Punjab and its partition. Dr. Singh engages with his research and knowledge that he has accumulated throughout his long, successful career to present us with his deep understanding of the topic at hand. Dr. Anshu Malhotra, in her presentation entitled, “History, memory, community, and the politics of conversion,” offered her research on the experience of religion and conversion in an early colonial Punjab. She especially cited Piro, from her book “Piro and the Gulabdasis: Gender, Sect and Society in Punjab.” Piro, born Muslim and a former prostitute joined the Gulabdasi sect. Dr. Malhotra explained the experiences of Piro in her experience converting and refusing to reaccept Islam when confronted by the mullahs of Lahore.

The third panel, “Group panel on reassessing the role of critical thought in Sikh studies,” brought forth a group of scholars to discuss their views on the future of Sikh Studies. In an introductory presentation, Dr. Arvind-Pal S. Mandair addressed “epistemic inequality (or epistemic injustice)” in the fields of Sikh Studies and Philosophy, where Western or Eurocentric forms of knowledge are privileged. To right this inequality, Dr. Mandair proposed that Sikh scholars strive to “take ownership of the epistemic machinery” and nodded to the successful achievements to do the same in Jewish Studies. Dr. Mandair brought lessons from the field of Critical Muslim Studies, specifically Wael Hallaq’s charge to reclaim “epistemic sovereignty,” in order that Sikh scholarship might “take sovereignty back from the knowledge system.” His forthcoming book, Geophilosophical Encounters: Decolonial Praxis, Diasporic Logics and Sikh Thought (Routledge: 2022) promises to put this project for Sikh Philosophy into practice. Dr. Aneeth Kaur Hundle acknowledged anthropology’s “Western colonial origins” and proposed possibilities for the future of Anthropology vivified by critical theories of culture, race, and religion from theorists like Michel-Rolph Truillot, Kamala Wisweswaran and Talal Asad. Dr. Hundle suggests, hopefully, that these critiques may make anthropology a site for “envisioning and practicing a post-liberal global human order.” Dr. Hundle contends that a crucial starting point for the future of Sikh Studies entails losing “essentialist baggage” regarding culture, race, and religion in order to arrive at an appropriately de-colonized study of Sikhism. Dr. Guriqbal Singh Sahota pointed to a “major lacuna” in Edward Said’s critique of Orientalism – focused as it was on French and English language scholarship – and that lacuna is German orientalist scholarship. Complicating Said’s critique, Dr. Sahota cites Goethe’s translation of Hafez, Schopenhaur’s translation of the Upanishads, and even sympathetic Jewish orientalist scholars writing in German. With this, Dr. Sahota recommends exploring Ernest Trumpp with extra “philological attention.” Finally, Dr. Sahota takes up Mandair’s call to carve out a proper “epistemic place” for Sikh Studies through “contrapuntal” or “critical philology” using Sikh texts beyond the Adi Granth to do so. Puninder Singh suggested the possibility of considering frameworks for critical thought – not as informed by Western, Modern (and post-Modern) definitions – but rather, through emic Sikh thought. Looking within the tradition, Puninder asserts “Sikhi has always been a tradition of robust engagement,” in dialogue with other forms of thought. Examples of this may be taken from the Janam Sakhis, the Guru Granth Sahib, and the Persian poetry of Bhai Nand Laal as it engaged in conversation with a broader Persianate cultural sphere. Finally – and in line with Mandair’s emphasis on epistemology – Puninder calls for recognition that “Sikhi is itself a methodology, a way of seeing, a way of analyzing, and a way of making sense of sensory data.” Dr. Harjeet Grewal, like Puninder, advocated critical thought informed by Sikh sources instead of relying on critical theory from outside Sikhism, especially as critical thinking has been a “tool to dominate non-Western societies.” Dr. Grewal takes a critical look at McLeod’s “Cries of Outrage” and the binary of “traditional” versus “skeptical” historians. Among the points of critique, Dr. Grewal notes McLeod’s privileged access to resources like Western universities and presses and observes that his “whiteness” lent to his “mobility” in South Asia.  Further, “traditional” refers to Sikh – and Dr. Grewal suggests “perhaps exclusively Sikh” – scholars, which denies any “skeptical” thought internal to Sikhism. Dr. Grewal contends that sources may be called “traditional” but this doesn’t mean they offer no avenues for critical thought, and he explores the Sajjan Thug Sakhi as one such example of critical thought.

Delivering the second Keynote Speech during the evening session, Dr. Louis E. Fenech spent time reflecting on his work within the field of Sikh Studies. Dr. Fenech shares that despite the work he has done as a scholar of Sikh history, “we are limited by our interpretations,” which are “further hindered by us as interpreters.” He discusses that these approaches allow historians to engage with non-historians and make space for regular Sikhs to engage with scholars. Dr. Fenech continues to explain the importance of the remembered past within the Sikh community and how Sikhs engage with that history in the present – highlighting Operation Blue Star and the Farmers’ Protest as prime examples. After his Keynote Speech, Dr. Louis E. Fenech was honored for his distinguished contribution in the field of Sikh Studies. Following this, Mr. Harbans Bawa (on behalf of the Kapany family) shared memories of Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany stating that Dr. Kapany donated funds and helped establish Sikh Studies chairs because he noticed the lack of knowledge about Sikhs amongst lay people. It was his desire to fill the void which sparked the creation of The Sikh Foundation and Dr. Kapany’s numerous efforts to educate people about Sikhs and Sikh Art. The evening session concluded with the presentation of several research awards. Dr. Harkeerat Singh Dhillon awarded the inaugural Harkeerat & Deepta Dhillon Endowed Research Award to Gurbeer Singh. On behalf of Dr. Parvinder Singh Khanuja, Dr. Pashaura Singh presented the 5 Rivers Research Award to Gurbeer Singh and the 5 Rivers Doctoral Thesis Research Award to Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal. 

The second day commenced by honoring the pioneers of Punjab Research Group in the United Kingdom. Following the tragic events of 1984, scholars were trying to develop an intellectual understanding of the Sikh tradition through the lens of the Punjab crisis. Sikh history, religion and culture attracted considerable attention from the world at large as journalists and commentators were looking for information about the Sikhs. Mostly, common people in North America and the UK were utterly uneducated about the nature of Sikh religion and culture. It is in this historical context that a group of scholars in the UK got together and formed the Punjab Research Group. They focused their attention on East Punjab in India, West Punjab in Pakistan, and the Punjabi Diaspora in different countries. Five of the original six pioneers of the Punjab Research Group – Dr. Eleanor Nesbitt (Warwick University), Dr. Gurharpal Singh (SOAS, University of London), Dr. Pritam Singh (Oxford Brookes Business School), Dr. Ian Talbot (University of Southampton), Dr. Shinder Singh Thandi (University of California, Santa Barbara) – were honored for their contribution and pioneer work in the field of Punjab and Sikh Studies. The final pioneer of the group, Dr. Darshan Singh Tatla, was honored in 2017 for his distinguished contribution to Sikh Diaspora Studies but was honorably mentioned for his role with the Punjab Research Group.

The first panel of the second day offered emerging voices in Sikh Studies to share their research. In her paper, “The evolution of the Panth: Sikh history from Sikh sources,” Jaskiran Kaur Bhogal, argues the importance of using Sikh sources (and authors) to tell Sikh history and take them seriously. Bhogal shares that there are clear advantages when using Sikh sources as it allows one to understand the community from within from an insider’s perspective who is aware of the vernacular terminology and vernacular concepts. Furthermore, she states that any who wish to understand Sikh history cannot do so without taking Gurbani seriously as the whole of Sikhi and Sikh history is constructed on the Guru and the Sikh. Avneet Singh Hunjan, a post-graduate researcher from University of Wolverhampton, UK, spoke on alcohol abuse and gender within the Punjabi Sikh community. Hunjan acknowledges that although he is still in the early stages in his research, alcohol abuse within the Punjabi Sikh community is an under-researched topic. This may be due to the fact that stigma is a huge issue within the community, yet, it is an “open-secret.” While alcohol abuse within Sikh men is very much outwardly, abuse within Sikh women is disguised. His research hopes to answer how Punjabi Sikh men and women negotiate cultural and religious pressures on drinking and if there are any barriers for those seeking help. 

Dr. Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa, in her presentation entitled, “Sikhing sovereignties amidst ‘state’ violence,” gave a holistic exploration of the importance of the Sikh experience in a world of violence and divisiveness. She explains her experience growing up as a white Sikh in the 3HO sect, speaking about its work across the world in spreading Sikhism while also reflecting upon the organization now dealing with the instances of sexual abuse by Yogi Bhajan and the organization’s work with attempting to move beyond white superiority. She has an intriguing discussion on the use and practicality of Sikhi in the Western world. Dr. Francesca Cassio, in her presentation entitled “Sikh musicology in the western academy: the challenges of intersectional research and decolonized education,” explains the status and prevalence of Sikh music in academia. She addresses Sikh musicology as an interdisciplinary field and how Western academia must be decolonized to fully realize the extent of topics such as Sikh musicology. She explores the current field of Sikh musicology in her talk and spoke about the importance and vastness of this highly unexplored subfield of Sikh studies. Sonia Dhami, in her presentation entitled “Art of the Protest” explores the art that has sprung from the activism of the Kisaan Andolan (Farmer’s Protests). She runs through the various pictures, paintings, drawings, sculptures, abstract pieces, music, videos, and other forms of art that have come from or have been inspired by the protests. The spirit of the protesters and their supporters is broadcast through the expressions of art that have presented themselves on the ground and on the internet. She worked through different pieces of art inspired by the protests, while explaining the importance, origins, and meanings of the pieces she presented.

Conner VanderBeek’s presentation, titled “Expressing and justifying Sikh identity in Canadian arts, or the near-impossibility of critique?”, first examined a mural (titled Taike-sye’yə; “cousin-friend”), a joint project between Sikh and Musqueam community members. The mural depicts Musqueam paddlers canoeing to provide food and supplies to the passengers of the infamous Komagata Maru as passengers largely from Panjab remained trapped in Vancouver harbor. Musqueam elders were consulted for information about this event, although critics like Ali Kazimi contested that the historical archive holds no proof that such an event happened. Conner also examined Nep Sidhu’s 2019 exhibition – including the piece “Medicine for a Nightmare (they called, we responded) – which references the traumatic events of 1984 and was accused by critics of “false narratives of the Khalistani movement.” Adroitly navigating these case studies of cross-cultural solidarity in art with an unflinching attention to the criticisms raised, Conner finally poses a central question: “who has the right to tell the stories of cultural traumas?” Dr. Nirvikar Singh’s presentation bullet-points the content of his paper “Asymmetries of Power in ‘Knowledge’ Production: The Case of Sikh Studies.” His study interrogates a number of popularly held views of Western academics. First, Dr. Nirvikar Singh contests that what is referred to as the “Sant tradition” is a “conceptually” and “empirically fragile” construct of the 19th century. Most notably, he noted that “Sant” is not a “neutral” term, but bears the political interests of Western academic liberalism and Hindu nationalists alike. Most notably, he offered a critique of how the Singh Sabha movement is portrayed in Western scholarship, citing the stakes where a “gap” between the “academic field” and the Sikh “community” is created in the process. Instead of the typical valuation of Singh Sabha, Dr. Singh called for a “more nuanced and accurate narrative of reform” and attempts in his paper to begin this process. Dr. Dalvir S. Pannu presented “The Sikh Heritage in Pakistan: Scope of academic research” which covered the research conducted in his book “The Sikh Heritage: Beyond Borders,” published in 2019. This remarkable survey of Gurdwaras across India and Pakistan uses historical record and architectural evidence to detail both well-known and lesser-known sites of Sikh history complete with precise GPS coordinates. Instead of separate realms of “Sikh history, Muslim history and Hindu history,” Dr. Pannu reveals a shared history, especially through case studies where donations for Gurdwaras were made by Muslim and Hindu rulers. Not only mainstream Sikh sites were noted, but sites of multiple branches of Sikhism were documented as well.  By navigating sources and inscriptions in Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, and Arabic and travelling widely, Dr. Pannu’s study mapped a sacred geography of Sikh history much needed after 1947’s partition. 

In the final presentation of the conference, “Growing pains in the field of Sikh Studies in the western academy,” Dr. Pashaura Singh offered his own personal reflections on the field. Singh beautifully navigated through the decades long history detailing the external and internal interferences within the field (from the first Sikh Studies chair in Canada and how the Indian government intervened to the establishment of the UCR chair and how the community intervened) and the role of scholars and community representatives. Singh echoes Dr. Michael Alexander when sharing that the Sikh faith offers different perspectives about the understanding of Sikhs, traditions, and identities and that it is crucial for the Sikhs to incorporate it into the community’s dominant truth. Following Singh’s reflection, the organizers – Dr. Pashuara Singh, Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal, Adam Tyson, and Gurbeer Singh – offered their brief final thoughts before officially concluding the conference.