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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sikhs'
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Luis, Francisco José. "Discourse, praxis and identity in pre-reformist Sikhism : a study of the Nirmala order." Thesis, SOAS, University of London, 2012. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.587520.
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Kalsi, Sewa Singh. "The Sikhs and caste : a study of the Sikh community in Leeds and Bradford." Thesis, University of Leeds, 1989. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/517/.
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This thesis examines the persistence of caste among the Sikh community in Leeds and, to some extent, in the neighbouring city of Bradford. The notion that the Sikhs are a casteless brotherhood is challenged in the context of a brief discussion of the Indian caste system, the function of caste in Punjabi society, and a comprehensive review of the writings by Sikh and non-Sikh authors concerning caste practices among the Sikhs. The data for this study were collected by means of participant observation during the years 1980-1984. Their analysis demonstrates that caste continues to exist among Sikh migrants despite its rejection by the Sikh gurus. The Sikh community in Leeds and Bradford is found to be comprised of several caste groups such as Jats, Ramgarhias, Bhatras, Jhirs, Julahas and others. The significance of the arrival of Sikh families and children from India and East Africa is examined in order to understand the rapid development of caste-based gurdwaras and associations in Britain. A detailed study of two Sikh castes, i.e. the Ramgarhias and the Ravidasis, highlights that members of these caste groups take great pride in their caste identity manifested in the establishment of their own biradari institutions in Britain. The practice of caste endogamy and exogamy by the Sikhs is examined by analysing what role arranged marriage plays in perpetuating caste consciousness and caste solidarity. The capacity of caste for adaptation is demonstrated through the powers of the institution of biradari to modify traditional rules of got exogamy for the smooth functioning of the institution of arranged marriage in Britain. Analysis of the life-cycle rituals provides new insights into the workings of caste, religion and the kinship system among the Sikhs. The role of the Sikh holy men is discussed to understand the quest for a living guru among the Sikhs. Comments are made on the role played by the gurdwaras in perpetuating Punjabi cultural traditions among Sikh migrants, including the teaching of Punjabi to Sikh children. A detailed examination of the existence and practices of caste institutions among the Sikhs in Leeds and Bradford leads to the conclusion that caste differences will persist in the internal organisation of the Sikhs in Britain.
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Sian, Katy Pal. "The persistence of Sikh and Muslim conflict in diasporic context : The case of brasian sikhs." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.509871.
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Agnihotri, Rama Kant. "Crisis of identity : Sikhs in England /." New Delhi : Bahri publ, 1987. http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb366834806.
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Moliner, Christine. "Être sikh en diaspora : mobilité transnationale, politique de reconnaissance et reconfigurations identitaires chez les sikhs britanniques." Thesis, Paris Sciences et Lettres (ComUE), 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018PSLEH062/document.
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Minorité ethno-religieuse originaire du Nord-Ouest de l’Inde, les sikhs ont une longue histoire migratoire qui prend naissance pendant la colonisation britannique. Cette thèse s’intéresse à la manière dont les sikhs de la diaspora, et particulièrement ceux de Grande-Bretagne, ont contribué de manière décisive à définir les contours de l’identité sikhe contemporaine.Pour ce faire, nous nous intéressons à la genèse coloniale du discours identitaire dominant, développé par l’élite sikhe réformiste dans la deuxième moitié du 19e siècle, qui repose sur l’élaboration de frontières socio-culturelles rigides séparant les sikhs des non-sikhs et sur la création d’une communauté unie et distincte, dotée d’un univers symbolique autonome, de rites propres et d’une histoire particulière. Cette notion normative d’une communauté sikhe monolithique s'est trouvée consolidée en Grande-Bretagne sous l'effet des politiques publiques et de décennies de mobilisations communautaires pour le turban. La politique sikhe de reconnaissance repose sur l’idée d'exceptionnalisme des sikhs, de leur contribution importante à la société britannique et d’une relation historique privilégiée avec les anciens colonisateurs. Cependant, l’étude de la pluralité des appartenances socio-religieuses – en particulier sectaires et de caste - révèle la diversité des manières d’être sikh en diaspora et bat en brèche les prétentions du leadership à parler au nom de « la » communauté sikhe<br>As an ethno-religious minority originating from the North-West of India, the Sikhs have a long migration history, starting during the colonial period. This dissertation focuses on how the Sikh diaspora, particularly British Sikhs, have decisively shaped contemporary Sikh identity narratives.Sikh dominant identity narrative was shaped in a dialogic relation between the colonizers and Sikh intellectual elite in the 19th century and it relied on rigid boundaries between Sikhs and non-Sikhs. Sikh reformists strived to create a unified and distinct community, with its own rituals, symbols and collective memory. This normative definition of a homogeneous community has been strengthened in post-colonial Britain, under the influence of public policies towards immigrant minorities and of Sikh politics of recognition. The latter draws on the idea that Sikhs represent a model minority, entertaining a priviliged relationship with the British.However, the diversity of socio-religious practices and belonging observed during fieldwork highlights that, despite Sikh leadership claims to represent a homogenous community, there remains a plurality of ways to be a diasporic Sikh
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Guyer, Edward D. "The Sikhs in Canada a Christian perspective /." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 1993. http://www.tren.com.
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Chima, Jugdep Singh. "Sikh political leadership and the trajectory of the Sikh separatist movement in Punjab-India (1978-1997) /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 2002. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p3074386.
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Singh, Karandeep. "Sikh Terrorism in India 1984-1990: A Time Series Analysis." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1991. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279217/.
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In recent times, religion has become a powerful force in giving legitimacy to terrorist actions. The present work considers this highly salient fact, as well as stresses the necessity to consider the historical and social contexts and group power resources in any meaningful analysis of violent protest movements. Quantitative rigor is combined with a sensitivity to context. Terrorism is operationalized by taking a time-based count of terrorist killings of innocent people. Regime acts of omission and commission are coded as time series interventions. The analysis also includes a continuous variable measuring the incidence of economic distress in Punjab. A case is also made for the superiority of Box- Jenkins time series techniques for the quantitative analysis of problems of this nature.
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Jagpal, Sarjeet Singh. "An oral history of the Sikhs in British Columbia, 1920-1947." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/31522.
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This thesis recognizes the value of using a variety of perspectives to study the history of an ethnic minority group. The history of some groups is lacking in insider perspectives. I have attempted to add balance to the existing accounts by using an oral history approach to describe the experiences of the Sikhs living in British Columbia from 1920-1947.
I am an insider, a Sikh whose grandfather was one of the original pioneers who came in the first wave of immigration in the 1904-1908 time period. These people are no longer with us, but some of their wives and children are still available to share their history with future generations. I interviewed and recorded 24 individual histories. From these I have formed a composite picture of the Sikh community in British Columbia from 1920-1947.
Beginning with descriptions of social, political and cultural conditions in India and Canada at the time of arrival, we follow them through the important stages of their lives in their adopted land. They describe the journey over, settling in, adaptations, work, social life, the fight for rights, and the role of their temple and religion. We see the events and circumstances that eventually led to the Sikhs being able to call Canada their home. The many photographs, letters and documents give further insights into the lives of this distinctive group of Canadians.<br>Education, Faculty of<br>Educational Studies (EDST), Department of<br>Graduate
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Uppal, Gobinderjit Kaur. "Sikhs and dementia : cultural and religious constructions in this minority population." Thesis, University of Leicester, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/27660.
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South Asians are at a greater risk of developing dementia due to also having a higher incidence of diabetes than the UK population as a whole (Department of Health, 2002). However little is known about this ethnic groups understanding of dementia. A review of the literature on the understanding of dementia in South Asian’s living in the community suggests that differences in the perceptions of the causes and treatment of dementia exist within South Asians. Further research has been suggested to explore minority groups within the umbrella term ‘South Asian’. NICE guidelines require treatment for dementia to be culturally, religiously and spiritually sensitive. However, the South Asian population is not an homogenous group, and there may be differences on what constitutes a sensitive approach for different sub-groups. This study sought to focus on one section, the Sikh community. A focus group design was used to explore how culture and religion influences the conceptualisation of dementia in the Sikh community. Six focus groups were undertaken, consisting of 28 participants and data was analysed using constant comparative methodology (Charmaz, 2006). Four themes emerged including awareness and interpretation of the characteristics of dementia, multiple perspectives of the same symptoms, cause of dementia and coping. The findings have been discussed in the context of existing research and provide an introductory insight into informing culturally appropriate interventions for dementia awareness in the Sikh community. The final section, the critical appraisal, reports an account of the researcher’s reflections throughout the research process.
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Singeot, Marie-Claire. "Les renonçants Udasin : l'ashram de Mauni Baba et ses territoires." Paris, INALCO, 2005. http://www.theses.fr/2005INAL0014.
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Deol, Harnik. "Religion and nationalism in India : the case of the Punjab /." London : Routledge, 2000. http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb38917907t.
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Jhutti, Jagbir. "A study of changes in marriage practices among the Sikhs of Britain." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.297527.
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Singh, Jasjit. "Keeping the faith : the transmission of Sikhism among young British Sikhs (18-30)." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2012. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.590291.
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This thesis contributes to international research on the identities of a significant diasporic religious minority, the Sikhs. My study investigates the transmission of Sikhism among an under-researched age group, young adults between the ages of 18 and 30, and develops a framework for analysing the production and reproduction of religion in a British diasporic community. It examines the reasons and processes behind the growth of religious transmission events organized by and for young Sikhs such as youth camps and university Sikh societies and considers these in the context of both traditional and contemporary transmission methods, looking particularly at the role of families, religious institutions and the internet. The age group being studied is that of 'emerging adulthood', a phase of life which has emerged in modern industrial societies in the years between adolescence and marriage, during which many young Sikhs now have the time and space to examine their tradition on their own terms. As most studies of religious transmission have focused on members of western majority communities, the central question of this study is how transmission processes impact on young British-born members of a diasporic community, particularly one with such an often distinct external identity. To what extent are they influenced by migration, ethnicity and minority status? And, situated as they are in western modernity, how far do British Sikh emerging adults experience a 'turn to the self and manage individual authority whilst also sustaining membership of a religious community?
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Legg, Kristina Louise. "The place of religion : spatialised subjectivities of Muslims, Sikhs and Christians in Southampton." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.310752.
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Bhambra, Manmit Kaur. "The social worlds and identities of young British Sikhs and Hindus in London." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2015. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:320867c1-95bf-4e1e-a6cd-15e456ff6347.
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This thesis is centred on exploring the identity options and orientations of young British Indians, from Sikh and Hindu backgrounds, who are British born and living in the London area. Recent socio-political debates have assumed a lack of Britishness amongst these young people, an assumption that is rooted in the belief that high bonding capital within ethnic minorities has led to a lack of bridging capital. This thesis argues that such statements are an essentialisation of the reality of these young people. In fact, their sources of belonging are far more complex, and far less threatening than we may be led to believe. Through the utilisation of eighty in-depth interviews, this thesis presents the intricate social worlds of these young people and the range of orientations (positive and negative) they feel towards component parts of their social worlds, as well as examining the strength and permeability of boundaries that demarcate these social worlds. The final substantive chapter deals with Britishness, and uncovers and presents the different perceptions and understandings that these young people have about British national identity and the ways in which it is accommodated (or not) alongside other important sources of belonging. It is found that a multi-dimensional approach to identity and belonging is best suited to understand the diverse and highly individualistic trajectories of these young people and that 'diverse-dual identities' are the most common pattern of belonging in this particular empirical case. This thesis make a significant contribution to the existing theoretical frameworks on identity and assimilation as well as the current socio-political debates on Britishness and the cultural integration of ethnic minorities in Britain, by presenting data on an under-researched group, British Indians, and highlighting the range of experiences within this group and the sources of this diversity.
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Hewins, Jonathon. "The pioneer Sikhs of Western Australia, 1886-1950: Immigration, discrimination, occupations and cremations." Thesis, Hewins, Jonathon (2021) The pioneer Sikhs of Western Australia, 1886-1950: Immigration, discrimination, occupations and cremations. Honours thesis, Murdoch University, 2021. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/65543/.
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The British annexation of Punjab in 1849 marked the end of the sovereign Sikh Empire and the beginning of a global Sikh diaspora. Many Sikhs left Punjab to find opportunities abroad and Australia promised wealth and prosperity within the Empire. In Australia, however, the Sikhs found life difficult. The combination of social opposition from the dominant white population, and the discriminatory legislation that followed, meant Sikhs had to adapt and form a resilient community. Despite the detailed scholarly research on the Sikh community in Australia from a national scope, little is known about the pioneer Sikhs who ventured to the Western Australian colony from the mid-1880s. This thesis uncovers their story.
I analyse the economic and political circumstances that forced Sikhs to depart from Punjab and migrate to Australia. I also show how Australia was not the panacea they imagined, but presented them with a new set of social, economic and political challenges to navigate. In Western Australia the need for labour in remote inland areas, meant Sikhs could find a level of acceptance in the community by filling vital roles as cameleers and hawkers and contributed significantly to the development of infrastructure. Despite anti-Asian messaging in the Press, the Sikhs enlisted in the First World War and petitioned for their own cremation site in Canning. The resilient community lasted until 1950 and prefigured the now thriving contemporary Sikh community.
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Michaud, Heather. "Walking in the footsteps of the Guru, Sikhs and seekers in the Indian Himalayas." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape15/PQDD_0013/MQ31301.pdf.
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Johal, Sanjiev. "The sport of lions : the Punjabi-Sikh sporting experience : a study into the place of sport in the socio-cultural landscape of Punjabi-Sikhs in Britain." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2002. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/2890/.
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By first detailing the religious, cultural and sporting heritage of Punjabi-Sikhs, the study focuses on how this sporting legacy of has been translated in Britain and how such translation has served to augment the perceived cultural traditions of British Punjabi-Sikhs. The inception of the Shaheedi Games tournaments and the proliferation of all-Punjabi-Sikh football teams are located within the wider phenomenon of post-war South Asian immigration to Britain. The first-hand oral testimonies of pioneering Punjabi-Sikh immigrants serve to script the narrative of the history and evolution of these tournaments. This work is also ethnographically informed through my association/interaction with a Punjabi-Sikh football club. The players/affiliates of this club provided a research environment and subject base allowing the investigation of their manifold identification with sport. The subjects of playing football and supporting professional football teams, along with the conspicuous absence of South Asians from top-flight professional football are used to highlight issues of racism(s) and the (re)negotiations of ethnic, cultural and regional identities. The Shadeedi Games tournaments are unique Punjabi-Sikh sporting/cultural events that have profound significance for Punjabi-Sikhs. The themes/principles of the carnival inform the discussion/exposition of these tournaments and point to their assumed counter-cultural motifs. This thesis aims to disavow uncritical conjecture that denies South Asians a diverse and prominent sporting pedigree/prowess. By uncovering and exploring the Punjabi-Sikh history and experience of sport, this thesis illustrates how this specific British South Asian community has an established, accomplished and multifariously dynamic identification with sport.
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Gill, Dalbir. "An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Punjabi Sikhs' experience of caring for a relative with dementia." Thesis, University of East London, 2014. http://roar.uel.ac.uk/4146/.
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This study explores the meaning of Punjabi Sikhs’ lived experiences of caring for a relative with dementia. The Department of Health (DoH) recognises that people caring for a person with dementia (PWD) are the most vulnerable of all carers to experiencing psychological problems. Six Punjabi Sikh respondents were recruited and semi-structured interviews conducted. Their accounts were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three themes emerged from this analysis 1) Surface and Depth of Dementia: Confused and Transparent Awareness 2) I’m Stuck and Winded up in Dis-ease and 3) Still I Kept Going: Perseverance as Transcending Limits. These findings indicate that emotional, relational, social, spiritual and physical perceptions of dementia aetiology do not necessarily exclude understanding of dementia as an illness or prevent professional help-seeking or diagnosis. Participant accounts also indicated that personal meaning of caring for a PWD as dis-ease (or as involving limited support) can be transcended through engaging with Sikh specific spiritual concepts such as Seva and Simran. Caring in this context has been found to extend beyond the interpersonal to hold transpersonal meaning. Punjabi Sikh experiential understandings of such phenomena are demonstrated as being synergistic with Counselling Psychology’s therapeutic relationship model. This connection provides scope for professionals to employ a broad conceptualisation of culturally sensitive phenomenological and transpersonal psychological support in this context. The thesis provides tentative guidelines for practice whilst indicating methodological limits to inform provisional suggestions for future research in this area.
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Rajan, Mrunalini. "Housing for Sikh seniors." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/28533.
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Housing needs for the elderly are a function of several processes accompanying aging. In the case of visible, immigrant seniors, additional factors such as ethnic origin and their length of stay in Canada come into play.
Sikhs are a predominant and one of the fastest growing sectors in the Canadian multicultural mosaic. This visible ethnic group has a long history of immigration to British Columbia. Canadian immigration policies have shaped the character (age-sex distribution, occupation, education, geographic location) of the Sikh community over the period of their immigration history. Immigration trends, acculturation of the Canadian-born generation, changing family patterns and the efforts of the community to maintain its culture, religion and language, all shape the housing needs of Sikh seniors in the Canadian context. At present, the demographic profile of Canadian Sikhs reveals that the majority of them are in the 20-50 age group. This profile combined with the influx of new immigrants including aged parents and other relatives, indicates an imminent increase in the number of Sikh elderly in Canada.
This study traces the assimilation of this community in Vancouver, and examines the suitability of housing options available to the mainstream Canadian elderly, for the Sikh elderly. A particular example considered for the purpose of this thesis is the small-scale congregate housing (Abbeyfield) alternative. Information from literature and a clustered survey of elderly Sikhs in Vancouver city suggest the emerging need for an alternative to their traditional housing arrangements. Prospective residents for alternative housing are likely to be elderly, widowed Sikh males. For them, the Abbeyfield option due to its domestic scale and adaptability, has been viewed as a viable solution.<br>Applied Science, Faculty of<br>Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of<br>Graduate
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Singh, Lakhwinder Paul. "The impact of migration, environment and economic conditions on the biological growth and physique of Sikhs." Thesis, University of London, 1995. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.295853.
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Gayer, Laurent. "Les politiques internationales de l'identité : significations internationales des mobilisations identitaires des Sikhs (Inde) et des Mohajirs (Pakistan)." Paris, Institut d'études politiques, 2004. http://www.theses.fr/2004IEPP0012.
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Farooq, Farzana. "Pressures on the internal unity of India : the case of Punjab." FIU Digital Commons, 1986. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3253.
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The crisis of unity in multiethnic societies may be indicative of strained relations among various ethnic groups. Economic competition by a minority arouses resentment and envy in the dominant group. When the political development lags behind social and economic development, ethnicity is introduced into politics. If the system fails to resolve issues through institutional arrangements violence may become a mode of communication among these groups and the minority may attempt to secede.
The case of India provides an excellent example of particularistic associations. The Sikhs have played a significant role in the division of the subcontinent and the development of the economy, Tensions have resulted in violence and counter-violence by both minority and majority groups. India has failed to introduce institutional changes to fulfill the promises made by the secular constitution. The Hindu dominance and discrimination in case of Sikhs can not be denied. While the issues still remain, India faces the risk of secessionist movements not only by Sikhs but also by other regions where minorities feel having been discriminated.
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Tatla, Darshan Singh. "The politics of homeland : a study of the ethnic linkages and political mobilisation amongst Sikhs in Britain and North America." Thesis, University of Warwick, 1993. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/36072/.
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The transnational activities of migrant groups have become a major issue in recent decades. This study offers an analysis of overseas Sikhs' involvement in Punjab issues; especially concentrating on post-1984 period, when a vigorous support and mobilisation by overseas Sikhs for a 'homeland' has led to diplomatic strains between the Government of India and some of the states with large Sikh migrant population. This study concentrates upon the mobilisation among Sikh migrant groups in Canada, the United States and Great Britain -three countries which account for over three quarter of overseas Sikh population. The issue of 'homeland' among displaced minorities and migrant groups has usually been studied as a diasporic phenomenon. In a theoretical formulation preceding this study, the term diaspora and recent contributions to extend its scope to all such migrant groups who were neither forced out of their homelands nor had continuous historic connections is critically examined. Rejecting the wider definition advocated by more recent contributors to extend this term to any migrant group which maintains some connections with their land of origins, a case is made for only those migrant groups which are essentially involved in a demand for a secure and independent 'homeland' to be part of 'diaspora studies' Proceeding with migration history and experiences of Sikhs in Britain, Canada and the United States, the study explores the persistence and continuation of cultural and religious practices derived from their land of origins. Noting that neither the homeland for Sikhs was an unambiguous term till recently nor were they forced out from their homes, Sikh migrant groups provide an interesting but problematic example of transnational ethnic linkages. The next two chapters analyze the social, cultural and political links with the Punjab. The study then provides a description and analysis of Sikh mobilisation as a reaction to dramatic events in the Punjab in June 1984. The last chapter situates overseas Sikh mobilisation as a reaction to a crisis which has fermented some new elements of ethnic consciousness with consequent bearing upon the group identity and political mobilisation within overseas Sikh migrant groups. It also notes the impact of overseas Sikh mobilisation on the transnational relationship of concerned states and their respective policies towards Sikh migrant groups. This study of overseas Sikhs provides an interesting case of transnational politics where a crucial event in a migrant groups' home country could perceptibly shift their political loyalty towards an imaginary homeland, and how in the process, their land of origin becomes a 'threatened homeland' . The study thus illustrates the limitation of the existing analytical concepts dealing with the behaviour of migrant groups whose attachments to their roots are principally triggered into a virulent form of mobilisation due to a traumatic event in their religious centre. The study draws upon a wide range of sources including interviews with leading participants, and a thorough examination of ethnic Purijabi media of the United States, Canada and Great Britain. In addition it takes account of the growing body of secondary materials associated with the study of Sikhs in the Punjab.
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Prasad, Binoy S. "Comparative political violence : riots and the State in the United States and India /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 1997. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p9841328.
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Brar, Bikram S. "The educational and occupational aspirations of young Sikh adults. An ethnographic study of the discourses and narratives of parents, teachers and adults in one London school." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/5744.
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This research study explores how future educational and occupational aspirations are constructed by young Sikh adults. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten young Sikh adults, both their parents, and their teachers at one school in West London to investigate how future aspirations are constructed, which resources are employed, and why certain resources are used over others.
In some previous research on aspirations and future choices, Sikhs have either been ignored or, instead, subsumed under the umbrella category of ¿Asian¿ and this study seeks to address this. Furthermore, the study seeks to shed light on how British-Sikh identities are constructed and intersected by social class, caste and gender. This is important to explore since it can have an impact upon how young adults are structured by educational policy.
A ¿syncretic¿ social constructionist framework which predominantly draws upon Pierre Bourdieu¿s notions of habitus, capital and field, along with the cultural identity theories of Avtar Brah and Stuart Hall, is employed to investigate the construction of identities and aspirations. In addition, the study contains ethnographical elements as it is conducted on my ¿own¿ Sikh group and at my former secondary school. Consequently, I brought a set of assumptions to the research which, rather than disregard, I acknowledge since they highlight how I come to form certain interpretations of phenomena over others.
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Brar, Bikram Singh. "The educational and occupational aspirations of young Sikh adults : an ethnographic study of the discourses and narratives of parents, teachers and adults in one London school." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/5744.
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This research study explores how future educational and occupational aspirations are constructed by young Sikh adults. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten young Sikh adults, both their parents, and their teachers at one school in West London to investigate how future aspirations are constructed, which resources are employed, and why certain resources are used over others. In some previous research on aspirations and future choices, Sikhs have either been ignored or, instead, subsumed under the umbrella category of 'Asian' and this study seeks to address this. Furthermore, the study seeks to shed light on how British-Sikh identities are constructed and intersected by social class, caste and gender. This is important to explore since it can have an impact upon how young adults are structured by educational policy. A 'syncretic' social constructionist framework which predominantly draws upon Pierre Bourdieu's notions of habitus, capital and field, along with the cultural identity theories of Avtar Brah and Stuart Hall, is employed to investigate the construction of identities and aspirations. In addition, the study contains ethnographical elements as it is conducted on my 'own' Sikh group and at my former secondary school. Consequently, I brought a set of assumptions to the research which, rather than disregard, I acknowledge since they highlight how I come to form certain interpretations of phenomena over others.
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Virdi, Manprit Kaur. "Marriage/breakdown amongst Punjabi-Sikhs in Canada : a legal ethnography of disputants, (un)official forums, and access to family justice in Ontario, Canada." Thesis, SOAS, University of London, 2017. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/24907/.
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This doctoral thesis examines Punjabi-Sikhs, a transnational diaspora community, to consider the extent to which Canadian multicultural accommodation extends into the realm of Ontario family law and struggles with ethnic diversity. The findings of this thesis aim to prove the practical relevance of such research and it hopes to establish an interest in future projects on the access to justice needs of ethnic minorities. Marriage and marriage breakdown being the chosen site of analysis, the objective is to map the dispute processes parties employ, navigating between official and unofficial forums and actors. 'Law as process' literature is employed, including legal pluralism and dispute settlement studies, to examine the dynamic process of mitigating marriage breakdown within and outside of the official law. This thesis demonstrates that kinship-oriented Punjabi-Sikh transmigrants approach the official family law assuming that their justiciable issues can be upheld, whereas official law actors, guided by the liberal, secular and individual framework of Ontario family law, struggle to adequately comprehend and/or resolve such disputes. While some navigational factors, such as the presence of physical violence entail necessary legal intervention to secure individual human rights, others involve the instrumental use of the law to punish or manipulate the other spouse. Within the unofficial sphere, this thesis establishes that Punjabi-Sikh disputants resort to a variety of kinship and Sikhi-focused forums and actors before, in parallel and after family law proceedings. It is established that the multiple framework approach of Punjabi-Sikh disputants means that the official and unofficial spheres are utilised simultaneously to address marriage breakdown. For this legal ethnography, a mixed methodology approach is adopted, consisting of legal casework, coding, critical discourse analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The primary fieldwork data comprises both family law cases and interviews with married, separated and divorced Punjabi-Sikhs in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.
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Morency, Marc-André. "Le Khalsa à Montréal : Hétérogénéité d'une diaspora et processus ethniques dans la communauté sikhe montréalaise." Thesis, Université Laval, 2014. http://www.theses.ulaval.ca/2014/30545/30545.pdf.
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Suivant un terrain ethnographique mené à l’été 2012 ainsi qu'une phase exploratoire pendant le baccalauréat en anthropologie, ce mémoire a pour tâche d'investiguer la diaspora sikhe montréalaise de l'intérieur. Des entretiens semi-dirigés avec différents acteurs sikhs et des observations dans les gurdwaras m'ont permis de constater les disjonctions intra-communautaires. À cet effet, je questionne l’utilisation des notions de diaspora et d’ethnicité à des fins essentiellement inclusives. J'ai noté chez les Sikhs des divergences d'opinions notables sur la relation à la « mère-partie », le Punjab, et sur le mouvement nationaliste Khalistani. Par ailleurs, l'autorité religieuse portée par les Sikhs amritdharis les mésententes politico-religieuses divisant les temples seront soulignées. En contrepartie, j'ai constaté qu'en diaspora, le poids du nid familial, des institutions, des symboles et de l'histoire mythifiée propre au sikhisme engendrent une cohésion ethnique particulière.<br>Following an exploratory phase during my undergraduate studies in anthropology, and an ethnographic fieldwork conducted in summer of 2012, this dissertation investigates the Montréal Sikh diaspora from the inside. Semi-structured interviews and observations in different gurdwaras (temples) led me to see internal disjunctures in the community. To explain these, I investigate the use of diaspora and ethnicity as inclusive notions. I find among the Sikhs subjects several interpretations of the Punjab "homeland", and opposing views concerning the Khalistani nationalist movement. Moreover, religious authority carried by amritdhari Sikhs and politico-religious divisions between multiple gurdwaras are being paid special attention. Concurrently, I suggest that in the Montréal Sikh diaspora, the weight of family, institutions, symbols and mythical history related to the religion produce a particularly solid ethnic cohesion.
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Baujard, Julie. "Identité « réfugié », identité transversale.Les réfugiés à Delhi au sein des dynamiques institutionnelles, communautaires et associatives." Phd thesis, Université de Provence - Aix-Marseille I, 2008. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00350124.
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La problématique de cette thèse est d'interroger la catégorie « réfugié » et son impact dans le processus de construction identitaire à Delhi, lieu de convergence et espace de dispersion. Se dégage-t-il, parmi des personnes de divers groupes ethniques, religions, nationalités et aux origines sociales variées, des représentations et des modes d'action communs, témoins de l'existence d'une identité basée sur la condition de réfugié ? <br />La déconstruction de la catégorie « réfugié » s'opère à trois niveaux : celui des organisations de tutelle des réfugiés qui donnent corps à ce « label » réfugié ; celui des acteurs politiques et sociaux qui apportent leur soutien aux réfugiés ; et celui des acteurs religieux (chrétiens) qui, eux aussi, sont partie prenante du « système-réfugié ».<br />Un regard transversal permet de conclure à l'émergence d'une société civile portant l'expression d'une identité hétérogène et d'une dynamique communautaire par laquelle peut se définir l'identité « réfugié ».
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Gill, Santokh Singh. "Being Sikh : constructions of masculinity and identity amongst young British Sikh men." Thesis, University of Derby, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10545/250257.
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Santos, Fraile Sandra. "La Comunidad sikh de Barcelona, una aproximación etnográfica: prácticas, negociación y transformaciones en el cuerpo y la corporalidad tras el proceso migratorio." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Barcelona, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/397676.
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El objetivo de esta tesis es, por un lado, conocer, comprender y visibilizar una creciente y significativa comunidad sikh que desde hace décadas habita en Barcelona y, por otro, analizar los cambios y las modificaciones en el cuerpo y la corporalidad como necesarios o pertinentes para la inserción y adaptación en un contexto nuevo tras el proceso migratorio.
Dadas las particulares características del grupo de estudio, una comunidad en la que determinada corporalidad es en gran medida un elemento significante de su adscripción religiosa, en este trabajo se ha tratado de observar y analizar las transformaciones y las continuidades en el cuerpo y la corporalidad como parte del proceso de adaptación de los individuos sikhs inmigrados que habitan Barcelona. Para ello se parte de la idea del cuerpo —y por extensión la corporalidad-, como elemento a disposición de los individuos y grupos, a veces mediatizado por el contexto en el que habitan, pero también como lugar para la agencia; imbuido de ideologías político-religiosas, que pueden ser corporalizadas, pero también susceptible de ser negociadas en función de las coyunturas. Para el desarrollo de la investigación se ha llevado a cabo trabajo de campo etnográfico durante más de 18 meses mediante etnografía multisituada donde Barcelona, Londres, Delhi y el Panyab han sido lugares para el trabajo.<br>The aim of this doctoral thesis is, on the one hand, to know, understand and visibilize a significant and rising Sikh community that has been living in Barcelona for decades. On the other hand, it analyses the body modifications and the changes in corporeality which are necessaries and relevant for the insertion and adaptation in a new context after the migration process.
Corporeality is a significant symbol of religious adscription therefore in this research we have observed and analyzed changes and continuities of the body and corporeality as part of the adaptation process of immigrant Sikhs inhabiting Barcelona. In this way, we start from the premise that bodies -and by extension the corporealities too- are elements at the disposal of individuals and groups that sometimes are determined by the context in which they live, but they are also a place for agency. Bodies are imbued with political and religious ideologies which can be explicitly embodied, but they are also capable of being negotiated depending on the circumstances.
For this research I have done multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork for an eighteen-month period in Barcelona, London, Delhi and Punjab.
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Bedi, Tarini. "Ethnonationalism and the politics of identity : the cases of Punjab and Assam." Thesis, McGill University, 1998. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=28244.
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This analysis addresses the relationship between pre-political cultural identity and political outcomes. It posits that the political mobilization of sub-national groups cannot be understood without an examination of the cultural processes of identity formation. The analysis engages cultural discourse and its organization as an explanatory factor in the examination of the variation in ethnic political outcomes. Hence, important questions about ethnonational conflict can be answered by engaging the levels at which identity is constructed and reshaped through cultural discourse. It shifts the arena of analysis from the state to the ethnic groups themselves. The two empirical cases analyzed are that of Sikh nationalism in Punjab and 'ethnic' Assamese nationalism in Assam.
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Takhar, Opinderjit Kaur. "Sikh groups in Britain and their implications for criteria related to Sikh identity." Thesis, University of South Wales, 2001. https://pure.southwales.ac.uk/en/studentthesis/sikh-groups-in-britain-and-their-implications-for-criteria-related-to-sikh-identity(25232d84-48de-4227-bee1-d0cb6c2394f5).html.
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This thesis examines Sikh groups in Britain and the implications these have for criteria related to the issue of Sikh identity. Five groups have been selected. They are: the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jama; the Namdharis; the Ravidasls; the Valmikis; and the Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, which is also frequently associated with the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization (3HO). The thesis begins with a historical analysis of Sikhism, to discover what it meant to be a Sikh in the days of the founder of the faith, Guru Nanak, and during the time of the successive Gurus. Political and social issues related to the development of Sikhism and emerging Sikh identity are examined also at the outset. Each group has its own unique contribution to make towards highlighting certain indicators and inhibitors of a Sikh identity. Thus, an important part of the present thesis is to examine the beliefs and practices of each group in order to assess its contribution towards a Sikh identity. Each group has unique leaders and founders; it is interesting, therefore, to see what implications the leaders' backgrounds and teachings have on the ethos of the group studied. The present thesis has aimed to highlight the implications of five groups ~ who have in the present and/or in the past have Sikh connections ~ on issues related to Sikh identity. This has been undertaken by continuous reference to four fundamental questions. A thematic approach was adopted for concluding the thesis. Each of the themes arose as significant factors developed throughout the research. The themes illustrate areas that are responsible for the promotion, as well as the hindering, of a uniform Sikh identity among the groups. The five themes that emerged were: (1) The concept of Guru in Sikhism; (2) Leaders and founders; (3) The role of the Rehat Maryada in relation to Sikh identity; (4) Caste and the Panth; (5) The issue of Sikh identity in relation to Punjabi ethnicity. The present research has shown that there are no overall dominant criteria with which to assess the Sikh identity of the Sikh community as a whole. Thus, contrary, to prevalent views about the Sikhs, there are many different "types" of Sikhs present today. I have suggested a federal identity of the Sikh community as a whole. This implies a unity of Sikhs worldwide but independence in the interpretation of Sikhism for the different groups. A federal identity might mean one or two core beliefs such as the acceptance of the Sikh Gurus' teachings and belief in the Sikh Absolute -- but, further than that, it is up to the individual group to express its unique beliefs and practices.
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Bariana, April Kaur. "Broken covenant, Punjabi Sikh narratives." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape11/PQDD_0005/NQ41541.pdf.
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Pamme, Rupinder Kaur. "The pilgrimage to Takht Hazur Sahib and its place in the Sikh tradition." Thesis, SOAS, University of London, 2010. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.658555.
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Anand, Avninder Singh. "The effects of second generation Sikh adolescents' perceived closeness to parents and acculturation on anxiety and acculturation stress /." CIFA website:, 2007. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pdwerner/cifa1.htm.
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Hipwell, Alison E. "Punjabi Sikh women's arthritis self management experiences." Thesis, Coventry University, 2010. http://curve.coventry.ac.uk/open/items/654f4c81-cbb9-545c-2f94-1f701f01cfab/1.
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Self-management interventions enhance the health self-management techniques and physical and psychological health outcomes among people with long-term health conditions (LTHCs). Few individuals from South Asian backgrounds attended the pilot phase of one such intervention: the Expert Patients Programme (EPP), a community-based self-management course. This raised concerns about exacerbating health inequalities. South Asian people have increased prevalence and severity of certain musculoskeletal conditions, yet little is known about their experiences of living with and self-managing these. This research aimed to rectify these omissions, by describing Punjabi Sikh women's experiences of living with and self-managing arthritis, and identifying barriers and facilitators to EPP. Three studies explored White and Punjabi Sikh EPP tutors‟ experiences of delivering EPP to South Asian attendees, and Punjabi Sikh women's experiences of living with and self-managing arthritis, both before and after they attended a Punjabi-language EPP. White and Punjabi Sikh tutors' sometimes dichotomous experiences of delivering EPP to South Asians, captured barriers to South Asian people's attendance, engagement and self-management. Facilitators identified included the need for sensitive tailoring of the Course, involving the Punjabi Sikh community. The Punjabi Sikh women's vibrant experiential accounts revealed the detrimental psychological and physical consequences that arthritis had upon their lives. Highly versatile in their proactive arthritis self-management prior to attending EPP, participants' refined techniques encompassed combinations of medication and Indian remedies, empowered by their religious and spiritual values. Following EPP attendance, the participants reported psychological and physical improvements in their arthritis. Thus, this Study established Punjabi Sikh 4 Abstract women's inherent acceptance of the concept of self-management, and, notwithstanding its current limitations, the likely appropriateness of EPP. Every Study represents a novel contribution to knowledge. Meaningful engagement with Punjabi Sikh community-members may produce a culturally-competent intervention that could better improve this group's physical and psychological outcomes, thus addressing one small area of health inequalities.
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Dhillon, K. S. "Marginal Indian Punjabi Sikh Men: A Psychotherapeutic Perspective." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.494615.
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Nesbitt, Eleanor M. "The religious lives of Sikh children in Coventry." Thesis, University of Warwick, 1995. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/36286/.
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In the context of earlier studies of Sikhs in the British diaspora and of the nurture of children in their parents' faith tradition, this thesis reports an ethnographic study of the nurture of eight to thirteen year old Sikhs in Coventry. The study develops earlier anthropological insights, notably using the interpretive approach of Clifford Geertz. For the purpose of analysis nurture is classified as informal (unplanned and family based) and formal (supplementary classes in mother tongue and devotional music). Both provided evidence of diversity within the Panth (Sikh community), signalled for example by iconography and dietary norms. They also suggested processes of change, as details of Sikh and non-Sikh cultural practice interacted. The celebration of birthdays and of the Vaisalchi festival serve as exemplars of the complex interactions involved, for which Baumann provides analytical tools. Examination of the data in association with the presentation of the religious worlds of young Sikhs in religious education curriculum books revealed some divergence. This is explored with particular reference to subjects' use of the word 'God', their experience of amrit (holy water) and their understanding of the word 'Sikh', especially in relation to the five Ks. On the basis of these observations of change, diversity and the discrepancy between curriculum book presentation and the ethnographic data, chapter twelve identifies processes at work in the Panth. Fox's dynamic concept of culture 'in the making' strengthens the contention that the Sikh tradition is shaped at the level of individual decisions (eg over language use) by children and their elders. Further it is argued that ethnographic findings have implications for the portrayal of the religious lives of young Sikhs in curriculum books.
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Singh, Eric. "Situation socio-economique de la deuxieme generation sikhe a Toronto." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/28166.
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This thesis examines the socioeconomic situation of young adults (21-35 years old) of the second generation Sikhs in Toronto. The research tries to better understand the social and economic process of integration, in particular the path they follow pertaining to their studies and profession. The theoretical framework indicates that family and community structures are especially important for immigrants and their children. The empirical analysis is based on the qualitative data collected during a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with ten participants, five women and five men. The results of the research show that young adults of the second generation Sikhs in Toronto attain a high socioeconomic status with the help of their family and the influence of their ethnic community, as well as with the benefits they obtain from the Canadian mainstream society.
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Deol, Harnik. "Religion and nationalism in India : the case of the Punjab, 1960-1990." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 1996. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/1443/.
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The research examines the factors which account for the emergence of ethno-nationalist movements in multi-ethnic and late industrialising societies such as India. The research employs a historical sociological approach to the study of nationalism. Opening with an interrogation of the classic theories of nationalism, the research shows the Eurocentric limitations of these works. By providing an account of the distinctive nature and development of Indian nationalism, it is maintained that the nature, growth, timing and scope of nationalist movements is affected by the level of development and the nature of the state and society in which they emerge. Using the theoretical framework developed here, the theses seeks to explain the nature and timing of breakaway movements in the Indian subcontinent. By providing an account of the social composition of the Sikh secessionist movement, the research shifts the focus on to the peasantry. Consequently, the study interrogates the social and cultural sphere beyond the English-speaking Indian elite. The role of the widely influential media, such as the vernacular press and cassettes, in ethnic movements is also considered. The hypothesis is that the conjunction of three sets of factors explain the rise of Sikh nationalism. The first is economic, notably the transition to commercial agriculture, the second is the revolution in communication, notably the expansion of vernacular press and cassettes and the third is religious, notably the revolutionary Sikh religious ideology with emphasis on martyrdom. The theses traces the three stage evolution of the Sikhs from a religious congregation into an ethnic community in the nineteenth century and from an ethnic community into a nation in the twentieth century.
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Arora, Kamal. "Legacies of violence : Sikh women in Delhi's "Widow Colony"." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/61275.
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This dissertation examines how Sikh women who survived the anti-Sikh massacre in 1984 in Delhi, India, cope with the long-term legacies of violence and trauma amid the backdrop of the urban space of the city. After the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards, approximately thirty-five hundred Sikh men were killed in October and November 1984. Many of the survivors, Sikh widows and their families, were relocated shortly after to the “Widow Colony,” a designated slum also known as Tilak Vihar, within the boundary of Tilak Nagar in West Delhi, as a means of rehabilitation and compensation. The work arises from fieldwork carried out between December 2012 and March 2014. I begin by discussing in depth the space of the Widow Colony and its relation to the rest of the city of Delhi. I then analyze the events of the 1984 massacre through the narratives of Sikh widows and how they remember their experiences of violence. I discuss how violence can have long-term ramifications for everyday life in arenas such as kinship networks, economic stability, health and wellness, and social life. These experiences are further amplified by gender, caste, and class. I also examine the impact of the stigma of widowhood in this community. This research seeks to interrogate how memories of violence inform, and are constituted by, embodied, affective practices carried out in a gendered space produced by the state. I argue that Sikh widows cope with long-term trauma by creating new forms of sociality and memory through their everyday lives and religious practices in the Widow Colony. The memory of the 1984 violence figures heavily among the Sikh diaspora. Thus, I also explore the relationship between the Widow Colony and Sikhs in the transnational arena.<br>Arts, Faculty of<br>Anthropology, Department of<br>Graduate
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Purewal, Shinder. "Sikh ethnonationalism and the political economy of the Punjab." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape15/PQDD_0005/NQ27851.pdf.
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Shani, Giorgiandrea. "Globalisation and identity : Sikh nationalism, diaspora and international relations." Thesis, SOAS, University of London, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.416905.
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Roman, Laura E. "De Quincey's sighs from the depths : aspects of 'Suspiria de Profundis'." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.416767.
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Wilson, L. C. "Across the bridge of sighs : reading a Christian theology of melancholy." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2017. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/41910/.
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In this thesis, I will proceed by the examination of exemplary texts in the western Christian understanding of, and engagement with, the concept of chronically melancholic and destructively sorrowful states. I will begin with influential texts from the ancient west and near east, such as The Book of Job, and the Pseudo-Aristotle, that have provided the touchstones and archetypes of the subject throughout – and beyond – the historical period covered, as well as contemporary narratives whose concerns and themes instructively throw salient features of the former icons into high relief. Thereafter, I shall trace these themes and their development through the work of those Christians who have most powerfully and significantly dealt with the concept of melancholy theologically. In doing so, I will argue, certain significant patterns of interpretation and thematic weighting become apparent. In the narratives surrounding melancholy heroes, we find a personal interlocution with the divine that characteristically takes place in a public context. This is because they contain both a revolutionary critique, and radical reintegration, of a fractured society along compassionate lines. This compassion is interpersonal empathy in the face of the ultimately incomprehensible contradictions and limitations of human life - both in terms of theodicy, and the particularities of every individual’s melancholy, which is grounded in the metaphysically-ambiguous nature of humanity, whose limitations reflect our melancholic distance from divine consummation - the very atmospheric dynamic of contemplation itself. From Evagrius to Kierkegaard, sorrow is the kernel and fulcrum of both sin and moral development. To paraphrase Camus, sorrow is the theological question.
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Deol, Raman Kaur. "The creation of the Khalsa : a study into the rhetorical strategies of collective identity transformation." Scholarly Commons, 2009. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/724.
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The Khalsa is a militant sect of the Sikh religion officially created by Guru Gobind on Baisakhi Day in 1699. Sikhism, as a religion and culture, existed within the overarching structure of lndian society during the reign of the Muslim Mughal Empire. Over the course of its history, Sikhism sought to evolve and adapt to internal and external pressures, and the creation of the Khalsa was a momentous and transformational step in that evolutionary process.
Using Kenneth Burke's guilt-redemption cycle as a model, this study analyses the events that created the Khalsa. The study found that historical and social pressures provided the rhetorical exigence for the creation of the Khalsa. Guru Gobind isolated and used the guilt of the Sikhs people, the guilt of being passive observers in the face of external pressures, the guilt of living in caste-organized society, the guilt of living in a bureaucratic system wherein the priests had seized power and control, and the guilt of living without external markers of the faith. These sources of guilt were brought to the forefront by Guru Gobind, and resolved through the symbolic sacrifice of five men, after which Guru Gobind created the Khalsa as an answer. Through the Khalsa, its symbols and rituals, the Sikhs were provided with a way to escape the flaws and guilt of the old order.
The creation of the Khalsa was an important milestone in the evolution of the Sikh culture and religion. Through this study, the processes and methods of this identity transformation were isolated. Guru Gobind activated social and collective levels of identity through the medium of performance in order to transform his audience of Sikhs into the Khalsa.
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Mann, Sukhjinder. "East meets west, perceptions of Sikh women living in Canada." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape15/PQDD_0006/MQ32180.pdf.
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