WHO IS SIKH?: THE PROBLEM OF SIKH IDENTITY

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About the Book:

In this insightful study, internationally renowned scholar of Sikh studies W. H. Mcleod addresses the question: what is Sikhism and who is a Sikh? His answers, combining rigorous scholarship with the astute observations of an 'outsider', have generated heated discussions and considerable controversy, especially among today's followers of the faith.

McLeod surveys the 500-year history of the Sikh people, tracing the origins of the multi-faceted Sikh identity as it exists today back to the first followers of Guru Nanak. From this small cluster of devotees, the community had grown and developed to include the many strands that now claim the title of Sikh, from the Sikhs of the Khalsa to the so-called Sahaj-dhari Sikhs. As he contemplates the diversity that is characteristic of the modern community, McLeod considers how various circumstances influenced the criteria by which people could be identified as Sikhs. In his conclusion, McLeod attempts a general definition of the nature of Sikhism and Sikh identity, drawing on a lifetime of research and experience of the Sikh community and culture.

This new paperback edition of a pivotal work will interest students and scholars of Sikh studies and Indian religions, history and sociology, as well as general readers interested in the Sikh religion.

REVIEWS:

'……A neat summary of [Professor McLeod's] known positions,….[this] slim little paperback has an air of elegance and authority.'

-Sunday Observer

'…..In his sophistication and erudition in matters of Sikh history, society and culture [Professor McLeod] remains unmatched'

-Harjot Oberoi

About the Author:

W.H. McLeod is Emeritus Professor in the Department of History at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.