Archives
Nirvikar Singh, Distinguished Professor of Economics, reappointed to the Sarbjit Aurora Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies
July 7, 2015
Distinguished Professor Nirvikar Singh has been reappointed “Sarbjit Aurora Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies” from July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2020 in recognition of the excellence Nirvikar’s scholarship and teaching and proposed activities for the program. The Sarbjit Aurora Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies was established for the purpose of supporting research and teaching pertaining to the global Sikh community in the context of multiculturalism and globalization.
Revolution or Assimilation: Understanding the Evolving Identity of the Punjabi Sikh Diaspora in California during the Early Twentieth Century
June 9, 2015
Rajan Gill completed his Master’s essay with this title, under the supervision of Prof. David Brundage of the History Department.
Secularism in India
May 18, 2015
Prof. Nirvikar Singh spoke and led a discussion with students in Prof. Nathaniel Deutsch’s graduate History seminar on Religion & Modernity. The discussion was broad, but included the case of Sikhs in post-independence India, and the relationship of that religious community to Indian framings and implementations of secularism.
Gender-Differential Effects of Terrorism on Education: The Case of the Punjab Insurgency 1981-1993
April 1, 2015
Prakarsh Singh, Assistant Professor of Economics at Amherst College, Massachusetts, spoke on the longrun effect of the 19811993 Punjab insurgency on the educational attainment of adults who were between ages 616 years at the time of the insurgency. His work found a substantial and statistically significant negative effect on educational attainment by girls who were of school age during the conflict.
The State of Sikh Studies in Western Academia
March 17, 2015
Prof. Nirvikar Singh spoke in the Sikh Studies lecture series at Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada. He argued that although Sikh and Punjabi Studies has an impressive presence in North American academia, the field remains precarious in certain ways, both with respect to its position in academia, and with respect to the Sikh community, its object of study. In his talk, he provided a basis for this claim of precariousness, discussing broader asymmetries in the production and reproduction of knowledge in those parts of Western academia that encompass or influence Sikh and Punjabi Studies. He examined the relationship of the field to South Asian studies, religious studies, and aspects of postmodernism, as well as to underlying ideologies such as Hindutva. He illustrated his arguments, by drawing from five topics that have been salient or are emerging as important in Sikh and Punjabi Studies: the origins of Sikhism, the later evolution of the tradition, diversity in belief and practice, the Sikh diaspora, and Sikh sacred music.
Course: Introduction to the Sikhs, Winter 2015
January 5, 2015
Prof. Nirvikar Singh taught this 2unit course, which he designed, for the fourth time in 2015. He teaches it in addition to his regular course load in Economics, so there is no financial claim on the three endowments. The course introduces the Sikh community, including its origins, history, belief system, and contemporary issues. Other topics include Sikh music, art, literature, and aspects of Sikh society. Particular attention is paid to the Sikh diaspora in the United States and in California, including comparative perspectives with other minority communities. For the first time, the class was listed under the new UCSC Department of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. Students write papers and make oral presentations. The class has a diverse enrollment, and includes a student trip to the San Jose Gurdwara, offering class members and their accompanying friends a firsthand crosscultural experience.
Economic Transformation of a Developing Economy: The Experience of Indian Punjab
January 1, 2015
In 2013, after a conference on “Re-Building Punjab: Political Economy, Society and Values,” organized by Dr. Inderjit Kaur and Prof. Nirvikar Singh at UCSC, which included Prof. Lakhwinder Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala, as a speaker, an Agreement of Cooperation was signed between the two universities. In March 2014, a joint conference on Punjab’s economy was held at Punjabi University, hosted by Prof. Lakhwinder Singh. In 2014-15, Prof. Lakhwinder Singh and Prof. Nirvikar Singh have worked on editing a book with the title above, based on the conference papers. The book is under contract with Springer. The Foreword will be provided by Dr. Kaushik Basu, Chief Economist of the World Bank. He has written, “…given the iconic status of the Punjab economy, such an understanding can shed light on development in general from which we can learn and benefit wherever we are located in the world. This is what makes the book, Economic Transformation of a Developing Economy: The Experience of Indian Punjab, an important one.”
Sikh Student Association Seva (Service) Days
January 1, 2015
The UCSC organized monthly visits to the San Jose Gurdwara to perform seva, with activities such as helping in the langar (community kitchen).
Sikhs in California Schools Curriculum
January 1, 2015
At the request of the Sikh Coalition, Prof. Nirvikar Singh provided a letter of support for an effort to ensure that Sikhs, as one of the oldest immigrant communities in California, received adequate discussion in the California schools curriculum.
Punjabi Language Teaching, Summer 2014
June 2, 2014
Introductory Punjabi language (one quarter of instruction) has been supported since 2012 by the GNHF, with bridge funding from the Dean of Humanities and the SSAC. The class was taught for the third time in Summer 2014, each time at the San Jose Gurdwara. Enrollments were about eight students on each occasion. In 2014-15, the class was approved for teaching on the main campus, and it will be offered there for the first time in 2015-16. The short term goal is to double previous enrollments, to at least 15 students. The longer term goal is to add a second course in Punjabi language, to create a twoquarter sequence.
Introduction to Punjabi
May 26, 2014
Introduction to Punjabi will again be offered through the UC Santa Cruz Extension this summer. The class will be held three times a week (from July 7 through August 7) at the Sikh Gurdwara of San Jose. It is being offered to high school students, college students, and working professionals.
My Impressions of the UCSC Conference by Dr. Baltej Singh Mann
April 8, 2014
The Sikh Foundation spoke to Dr. Baltej Singh Mann following his attendance at (Re-)Building Punjab: Political Economy, Society and Values. The conference was hosted by the Sikh and Punjabi Studies Program at UC Santa Cruz.
International Conference on Rejuvenation of Punjab Economy
March 21, 2014
Throughout the Winter quarter, Prof. Nirvikar Singh worked with Prof. Lakhwinder Singh, Director of the Centre for Development Economics and Innovation Studies at Punjabi University, to organize a major international conference on the Punjab economy, held at Punjabi University, Patiala. The conference featured all of Punjab’s leading economists, as well as economists from all over India. UCSC was listed as co-organizer of the conference. Prof. Nirvikar Singh delivered the keynote address, “Breaking the Mold: Thoughts on Punjab’s Future Economic Development,” at the International Conference on Rejuvenation of Punjab Economy, held at Punjabi University.
Introduction to the Sikhs, Winter 2014
January 6, 2014
Prof. Nirvikar Singh taught the course designed by him, Introduction to the Sikhs, to about 35 students, both Sikh and non-Sikh. This was the third offering of the class since the inauguration of the Chair. The class included a class field trip to the San Jose Gurdwara. Students were able to bring friends not taking the class for credit. The trip included a visit to the Gurdwara museum, sitting in the congregation and partaking of langar.
The Financial Express - The Punjab paradox
October 21, 2013
Article published by Professor Nirvikar Singh in The Financial Express - Summary: "Punjab’s agricultural economy, based on supplying foodgrains for the PDS, is heading for disaster."
Hindustan Times - State's economy: a case of arrested growth
October 10, 2013
An article, written by Professor Nirvikar Singh, in the Hindustan Times. The article discusses Punjab's recent trajectory, as well as possibilities in its future.
UCSC and Punjabi University, Patiala sign an Agreement for Academic Cooperation
October 1, 2013
In October 2013, UCSC and Punjabi University, Patiala signed an Agreement for Academic Cooperation. Specific areas or projects for collaboration may include Language and Literature, Music, and Political Economy, as well as student and faculty exchanges. The Agreement was facilitated by Dr. Mahinder Singh Madan, a member of UCSC’s Community Advisory Board for the Guru Nanak Heritage Fund to support Sikh and Punjabi Studies at UCSC. To inaugurate the Agreement of Cooperation, Professor Singh delivered a public lecture on the Punjab economy at Punjabi University, Patiala, to an audience of close to 100 people. This lecture was prominently covered in the regional press, and Prof. Singh wrote articles on Punjab’s economy for the Hindustan Times and the Financial Express, two major Indian daily newspapers. He met with the Economics faculty at Punjabi University, and shared perspectives on Sikhs in the United States and Sikh Studies in Western academia. He also met with graduate students in Economics at Punjabi University, and discussed their research with them.
2nd Annual Conference on Guru Granth Sahib
September 14, 2013
Presented by the Sikh Gurdwara San Jose and Chardi Kalaa Foundation. Prof. Nirvikar Singh, Sarbjit Singh Aurora Chair of Sikh and Punjabi Studies, presented a paper on Sikh ethics and attitudes toward everyday economic life, and Dr. Inderjit Kaur, Research Associate, Music Department, and Advisor, Sikh and Punjabi Studies, Humanities Division, UCSC, presented a paper on Sikh musicology.
Professor Nirvikar Singh delivers public lecture at Guru Nanak Dev University
August 1, 2013
In August 2013, Prof. Nirvikar Singh delivered a public lecture at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, on the state of Sikh Studies in Western academia, to an audience of close to 100 people.
Intensive First-Year Punjabi Summer Course
July 8, 2013
The Punjabi Language class was successfully offered for a second time, with support from the Guru Nanak Heritage Fund and the UCSC Humanities Division. The class was offered through UCSC Extension at the San Jose Gurdwara, making it accessible and affordable for students from diverse backgrounds. The class was taught by Ms. Arshinder Pal Kaur, an experienced Punjabi instructor and respected member of the San Jose Sikh community. Prof. Nirvikar Singh, Sarbjit Singh Aurora Chair of Sikh and Punjabi Studies at UCSC, worked with the Dean of Humanities to manage the institutional transition from the previous offering of Punjabi through UCSC Summer Session.
The Press-Enterprise - RELIGION: Sikh scholars meet at UC Riverside
May 9, 2013
The Press-Enterprise featured an article on an upcoming Sikh Studies conference at the University of California, Riverside. Professor Singh - the Sikh and Punjabi Studies Chair at UC Santa Cruz - is a featured panelist, briefly stating the importance of sharing ideas and discussion in the article.
The Financial Express - Rebuilding Punjab
April 11, 2013
An article in The Financial Express, written by Professor Nirvikar Singh - Summary: "The state of Punjab in India represents an important case study of development gone awry. Partition in 1947, which wreaked havoc on the region, was followed by surprisingly rapid recovery and progress."
Sikh Foundation - My Impressions of the UCSC Conference by Dr. Baltej Singh Mann
April 8, 2013
Dr. Baltej Singh Mann attended UCSC's Sikh Studies Conference, (Re-)Building Punjab: Political Economy, Society and Values, which included scholars from Punjab, the United Kingdom, and the United States. After reflecting on the presentations and discussions that took place at the event, he provides a summary of thoughts and ideas that developed during the conference.
SikhChic - (Re-)Building Punjab: Political Economy, Society and Values: Santa Cruz, California Conference
March 27, 2013
Sikh and Punjabi Studies' international conference,(Re-)Building Punjab: Political Economy, Society and Values, was featured under SikhChic's current events. The article featured some words from Professor Nirvikar Singh on the focus of the conference.
City on a Hill Press - Sikh Student Association Calls for Peace
November 29, 2012
City on a Hill Press offered a brief over view of the conference. The conference focused on the Oak Creek, Wisconsin shooting at a Sikh temple, bringing forward questions and discussion about tolerance in the United States today.
LA Times - Ever misunderstood, Sikhs savor teaching moments
November 19, 2012
Following the Oak Creek shooting at a Sikh Gurdwara in Wisconsin, the Los Angeles Times published an article featuring Professor Singh and students from the Intro to Sikhs Course that is offered through Sikh and Punjabi Studies.
The Chardi Kalaa Foundation - Markets, Morals and Motives: Economics and the Guru Granth Sahib
September 22, 2012
Abstract: "A narrow view of economic thinking focuses only on the role of markets, with some role for government in instances of “market failure.” However, economics has its roots in the broader field of moral philosophy, which continues to influence many modern economic thinkers. This paper first provides an overview of this thinking, on the relationship between economics, collective moral codes, and individual motivation. This framework is then used to discuss the relevance and implications of the message of the Guru Granth Sahib in the economic and social spheres of human action. It also offers some observations on the Sikh way of life as reflected in the actions of the Sikh Gurus and their disciples. Two specific areas where the paper draws some lessons are the process of formation of preferences and attitudes toward economic inequality."
UCSC Summer Session Punjabi Language Course
June 25, 2012
A 5-week course will taught by Ms. Arshinder Pal Kaur, MA, MPhil (Punjabi Literature). The class was worth 6 quarter units of transferrable UCSC credit. All students, including qualified high school students, were eligible to enroll. The Sikh and Punjabi Studies program at UCSC, through the generosity of the Chardi Kalaa Foundation and the Sarbjit Singh Aurora Chair Endowment, provided a total of $7,500 in a scholarship fund for deserving students enrolled in the class.
Good Times - Cultural Studies
January 17, 2012
The Good Times published an article, featuring Professor Nirvikar Singh, informing the Santa Cruz community about the establishment and growth of the Sikh and Punjabi Studies program at UCSC.
UCSC received a gift to support the Sikh and Punjabi Studies program
January 05, 2012
UCSC received a gift of $247,000 to support the Sikh and Punjabi Studies Program.
The Sikh Foundation - Sikh and Punjabi Studies: Achievements and New Directions Conference
November 5, 2011
The Sikh Foundation featured the upcoming Sikh and Punjabi Studies conference: Achievements and New Directions.
City on a Hill Press - A Changing UC
October 6, 2011
City on a Hill Press featured an article about the development of the Sikh and Punjabi Studies Program at UC Santa Cruz
Appointment of Humanities Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies
December 07, 2010
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Nirvikar Singh to the Sarbjit Singh Aurora Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies. The chair--established through the Sikh Foundation by Hardit and Harbhajan K. Singh in memory of their son, Sarbjit Singh Aurora--supports research and teaching in Sikh and Punjabi studies from a multicultural and global perspective.
UCSC receives $367,000 gift to establish endowed chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies
September 10, 2007
