Textures of the Sikh Past: New Historical Perspectives

Focusing on new directions in Sikh and Punjab studies, this volume offers fresh perspectives on Sikh culture and history. Discussing contemporary developments affecting Sikhs around the world, it provides a contextualized study of how modern Sikhism has evolved with particular attention to historical documents, changes in the colonial period, and the varied yet intertwined experiences of Sikhs in the diaspora. This valuable collection addresses a wide a variety of themes including Sikh textual tradition and popular culture, operation of social hierarchies, local histories, transformation of Punjab under British rule, and other social issues that concern the Panth as a whole. The essays are united by a deep concern with the ‘texture’ of Sikh history–the ways in which space, time, social structures, and political systems have shaped the development of the Panth. They also investigate the forces, processes, and structures that have conditioned Sikh history. In bringing together this range of carefully researched perspectives, this book not only offers a compelling manifestation of the complex fabric of Sikh history, but also identifies new approaches that will provide vantage points for further research. With contributions from prominent scholars, this book will interest students and scholars of Sikh studies, religious and cultural studies, diaspora studies, South Asia studies, sociology and politics, as well as the informed lay reader.