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Sikhism: The Basics provides an accessible, up-to-date and gender inclusive introduction to one of the five major world religions. The chronological and geographical parameters of the book are expansive, tracing five and half centuries ¿ from the vision of the founder Guru (Nanak 1469-1539) to its rich diasporic presence across the globe.
Sikhism: The Basics includes chapters on:
- the ten Sikh Gurus; a historical overview from the post-Guru period to modern times (contextualised by the history of Sikhs' spiritual capital, Amritsar)
- theological imaginary, practices
- the Sikh diaspora (Sikhs' history in North America, Asia (from west Asia to south-east Asia and China, Australasia, the UK and mainland Europe)
- Sikh art and literature;
- contemporary challenges and future prospects.
Written by two authors approaching Sikhism from 'insider' (Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh) and 'outsider' (Eleanor Nesbitt) perspectives. Accessible to the general reader, it also offers a fresh approach for students and scholars in the study of religions, Sikh Studies, Asian Religions, Anthropology and Diaspora Studies, South Asia, and history.
List of contents
1. Beginnings: The Sikh Gurus 2. A Historical Overview from the Post-Guru Period to Modern Times 3. Theological Imaginary and Existential Reality 4. Practices 5. Sikh Diaspora 6. Art and Literature 7. Contemporary Challenges and Future Prospects
About the author
Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh is Crawford Family Professor and Chair of Religious Studies at Colby College in Maine, USA. She has published extensively in Sikh Studies. Her recent books include
Poems from the Sikh Sacred Tradition (Harvard University, 2023),
Janamsakhi: Paintings of Guru Nanak in Early Sikh Art (Roli, 2023), and
The First Sikh: The Life and Legacy of Guru Nanak (Penguin, 2019).
Eleanor Nesbitt is Professor Emeritus, University of Warwick, UK. Her publications include
Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction, Second Edition (Oxford University Press, 2016),
Open to New Light: Quakers and Other Faiths (Collective Ink, 2023) and
Sikh: Two Centuries of Western Women's Art and Writing (Kashi House, 2024).
