Author Description
The Sikh Religion Has A Following Of Over 20 Million People Worldwide. However,events Such As The Verbal And Physical Attacks On Sikhs Just After September 11, Where Sikhs Were Being Mistaken For Muslims, Suggest That The Sikh Faith Still Remains Mysterious To Many. This Very Short Introduction Introduces Newcomers To The Meaning Of The Sikh Religious Tradition, Its Teachings, Practices, Rituals And Festivals. Eleanor Nesbitt Highlights And Contextualizes The Key Threads In The History Of Sikhism, From The First Gurus To Martyrdom, Militarization, And The Increasingly Significant Diaspora. Examining Gender, Caste, And The Changes That Are Currently Underway In The Faith, Nesbitt Considers Contemporary Sikh Identities And Their Role In Our World. About The Series: The Very Short Introductions Series From Oxford University Press Contains Hundreds Of Titles In Almost Every Subject Area. These Pocket-sized Books Are The Perfect Way To Get Ahead In A New Subject Quickly. Our Expert Authors Combine Facts, Analysis, Perspective, New Ideas, And Enthusiasm To Make Interesting And Challenging Topics Highly Readable.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the core tenets, historical development, and contemporary identity of the Sikh faith to address widespread public misunderstanding. Eleanor Nesbitt, a scholar specializing in Sikh studies, utilizes historical records and sociological observations to frame the religion's evolution. She argues that understanding Sikhism requires balancing its theological foundations with the lived experiences of its global diaspora.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Historical overview from the era of the first Gurus to modern times
- Analysis of Sikh rituals, festivals, and religious practices
- Examination of social structures including caste and gender within the community
- Contextualization of the Sikh diaspora and contemporary identity
Scope Limits
- Does not provide an exhaustive theological treatise or exhaustive primary source collection
- Does not cover every regional variation of practice in equal depth
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and educators frequently cite this work as a reliable, concise entry point for students and general readers seeking to understand the Sikh tradition. Readers often note the clarity of the prose and the author's ability to synthesize complex historical and social dynamics into a compact format.
Page Count:
176
Publication Date:
2016-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191062766
ISBN-13:
9780191062766
History
Religion
Sikhism
Theology
World Religions
Sociology of Religion