Sikhism in a Global World: Diaspora, Identity, and Contemporary Sikh Life

The Sikh diaspora is one of the most geographically dispersed religious communities in the world — with significant populations in Canada, the UK, the United States, Australia, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. How Sikh communities maintain theological identity, transmit practice to new generations, and engage with host societies offers an instructive case study in the dynamics of religious life under conditions of migration. By the end of this course you will be able to describe the geographic distribution and institutional landscape of the global Sikh diaspora, analyze how Sikh communities balance religious continuity with cultural adaptation in non-South Asian contexts, examine how the core Sikh principles of sewa and equality are applied in contemporary civic and social justice contexts, and evaluate scholarly accounts of Sikh identity in the modern world. What you will learn: - The historical origins of Sikh diaspora: the colonial-era migration of Sikhs as soldiers and laborers and the post-1947 Partition displacement - Contemporary diaspora communities: the UK, Canada, and the US — comparing institutional structures, political engagement, and generational transmission challenges - The Gurdwara in diaspora: how it functions simultaneously as place of worship, community center, language school, and food pantry - Sewa in the contemporary world: the langar tradition extended to humanitarian relief — community responses to natural disasters, food insecurity, and the COVID pandemic - The turban and religious accommodation: legal and social battles over the right to wear the kirpan and maintain the Five Ks in secular public institutions - Sikh identity and Punjabi identity: how religious and ethnic identities overlap, diverge, and create internal community tensions - 1984 and its continuing significance: how the events at the Golden Temple and the anti-Sikh pogrom shape diaspora community memory and political identity - Academic frameworks for studying diaspora religion: transnationalism, lived religion, and the sociology of religious identity The course is organized around case studies drawn from multiple diaspora communities, moving from historical foundation to contemporary practice to political and social engagement. Reflection prompts invite you to apply each analytical framework to a specific community context. A final synthesis worksheet guides you through an integrated analysis of one diaspora Sikh community using multiple frameworks simultaneously. This course is designed for learners with some background in Sikhism who want to engage with its contemporary and diaspora dimensions. It is also suitable for students of migration, religion, and society, or civic professionals working with Sikh communities. No prior fieldwork experience is required.