Darshan Singh Tatla – författare

The Sikh Diaspora is an impressive, probing and original examination of the Sikh communities of Britain, Canada, and the United States. The author examines the cultural, economic and social linkages between overseas Sikh communities and the Punjab, discussing the Sikh diaspora’s support for a Sikh homelandand its role in highlighting human rights’ abuses in the Punjab. Exploring the diaspora’s close involvement in issues emanating from its homeland, Dr. Tatla asks whether this involvement indicates an insecure settlement in the new countries. He is especially interested in the ways in which inter-state diplomacy, notably India’s pressure on host states to curb “Sikh extremism”, has affected the position of Sikh communities abroad. Drawing on literature and media from English and Punjabi sources, Dr. Tatla provides an insight into the emotional and psychological world of the diaspora and its yearning for an independent homeland. The book is a significant contribution to the growing literature on the role of diaspora communities as international actors in challenging the power of nation-states and of host societies. It will be an indispensable text for students of South Asia, and of great interest for those studying international migration and diasporas from the perspective of sociology or politics.

Recent conflicts in the Punjab and elsewhere have brought the Sikhs considerable attention from both scholars and the media. There has been particular interest in the cultural and social life of Sikh communities in the United States and Canada. Until now, however, materials on the subject have been either unavailable or found only in widely scattered sources. This book is the first to present a comprehensive guide to the existing literature. Providing access to published and unpublished material in both English and Panjabi, it brings together a broad spectrum of material that will be of use to both journalists and scholars.The bibliography offers annotated listings of books, official and semi-official reports, dissertations, journal and newspaper articles, and films and videos. Arranged by subject, it covers the history of migration, educational issues, politics, religion, and community life. A section of Panjabi language and literature contains entries for Sikh writers living in North America. A brief discussion of each author is included, together with a list of principal publications. This bibliography is an appropriate acquisition for collections in ethnic and minority studies and a valuable resource for those with a special interest in the North American Sikh community.

'This fine study of the Sikhs in Britain is a splendid addition to the field. Not only does it provide an invaluable mapping of the community's origins and development which should make it a standard work of reference for years to come, but in its sophisticated interrogation of the sociological and political tensions which have marked that development it makes a uniquely informed wider contribution to the ongoing debates about the nature of "multicultural" Britain'. Professor Christopher Shackle, SOAS, University of London'This book is of very great importance for anyone who wishes to understand the crucial role of Sikhs in defining the possibilities of multiculturalism in Britain at a time when the very notion is under attack from many sources. It should be essential reading for policy makers as well as students.' Professor John Rex, Professor Emeritus at the University of Warwick'This work is a major review of the history and issues affecting Sikhs in Great Britain since the Second World War. Balanced and extremely well documented...it marks an important contribution to Sikh and multicultural studies'. - Professor Norman G. Barrier, Professor of History University of Missouri'This is an important book which details the coming to self-consciousness of the Sikh community in Britain under local, national and transnational exigencies'. Professor Uday S. Mehta, Department of Political Science, Amherst College'This book comes at a time when new limits to multiculturalism and to free speech are being drawn and these wider debates are brilliantly interwoven with an account of the public and private lives of Sikhs. The book is politically charged, but sensitive, humane and open-minded at the same time.' Robin Cohen, ESRC Professorial Research Fellow, University of Warwick.'This first major account of the development of the British Sikh community is very welcome. Scholarly, analytical and deeply empathetic, it is a major contribution.' Professor Judith M. Brown, University of Oxford