Events
Sikh Student Association Bhangra Bash
May 7, 2016
The UCSC SSA held a social event for all UCSC students. Aurora Chair funds were used to provide partial support for event expenses.
Presentation: Waking in Oak Creek
May 5, 2016
Prof. Nirvikar Singh again showed the DVD of this title, documenting the local community’s response to the August 2012 killings at the Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and led a discussion with the UCSC Police Department Spring Quarter Citizens’ Academy, where the audience included students, community members and UCSC police officers.
Lecture by Prof. Mark Juergensmeyer, Sikhism in the Global Age
April 19, 2016
Mark Juergensmeyer is Kundan Kaur Kapany Chair of Global and Sikh Studies, fellow of the Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, professor of sociology, and affiliate professor of religious studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is an expert on religious violence, conflict resolution and South Asian religion and politics, has published more than two hundred articles and twenty books, and has received numerous academic honors.
UCSC's Bhangra and Giddha Dance Group Performs at 16th Annual Journey Through India Culture Show
April 16, 2016
UCSC students have organized a Bhangra group for several years, which performs at the annual Indian Cultural Show. Aurora Chair funds were used to provide partial support for costume purchases for the Bhangra group. UCSC women students organized a Giddha dance group for a second year, to complement the long-standing Bhangra group. The Giddha group performed at the annual Indian Cultural Show. Aurora Chair funds were used to provide partial support for costume purchases for the Giddha group.
Turban Day 2016
April 13, 2016
This event was the third time that the UCSC Sikh Student Association held a Turban Day at the Quarry Plaza, a central location on campus. The students tied turbans on dozens of students, staff and faculty members, and shared information about the Sikh faith and community with all those who stopped by. The Aurora Chair funds helped purchase the turban cloth for the event.
Discussion of Book: Agrarian Distress and Farmer Suicides in North India, by L. Singh, K.S. Bhangoo and R. Sharma, Chandigarh, India
March 23, 2016
Prof. Nirvikar Singh discussed the book at a formal book launch, sponsored by Punjabi University, Patiala, with which UCSC has an Agreement of Cooperation. His remarks were featured in the main daily newspaper of the region, and drew the attention of state-level economic policymakers concerned about these issues.
University Interfaith Council Open Dialogue on Religion
March 2, 2016
Prof. Nirvikar Singh served as a panelist representing Sikhism, along with representatives of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Paganism.
Guest Lecture in Introduction to the Sikhs, The Global Sikh Diaspora, by Dr. Shinder Thandi
February 25, 2016
Shinder Thandi is a Visiting Professor in Global & International Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He specializes in Sikhs and Sikh Diaspora, Political Economy of Development, and related topics. He is the founder-editor of the Journal of Punjab Studies, in publication since 1994, and one of the founders and later Convenor of the Punjab Research Group, which was established in the UK in 1984.
Opening Lecture: The State of Sikh Studies in Western Academia, Sikholars Conference, Stanford University
February 13, 2016
Prof. Nirvikar Singh delivered a revised and updated version of a lecture first given at Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada, in 2015. The conference is an annual event organized by Jakara, a Sikh nonprofit organization, and attracts about 100 attendees. The lecture sought to make the case that although Sikh and Punjabi Studies has several endowed chairs in North American universities, 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. The talk 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, including South Asian studies, religious studies, and aspects of postmodernism, as well as underlying ideologies such as Hindutva. It analyzed these larger issues through five illustrative but important areas of inquiry: the origins of Sikhism, the later evolution of the tradition, diversity in belief and practice, the Sikh diaspora, and the impact of colonialism on Sikh beliefs. Aurora Chair funds were used to provide partial support for the conference, which showcases young Sikh scholars and their work.
Keynote Address: Sikhs in America, Ceres Community Center
January 15, 2016
Prof. Nirvikar Singh delivered this lecture to a large audience of law enforcement officers (including Sheriffs of four counties), attorneys, local politicians, and Sikh community members. The other keynote address was given by the Consul General of India. The event is held annually to educate the local community about Sikhs and the history of their presence in the US.
Guest Lecture: Sikh Civil and Human Rights Advocacy in the USA, UC Santa Barbara
November 18, 2015
Prof. Nirvikar Singh gave a guest lecture on this topic to several dozen students in Dr. Shinder Thandi’s class on the global Sikh diaspora, at UCSB. The talk included a detailed analysis of the work of three US-based civil rights organizations that focus on Sikh issues: SALDEF, Sikh Coalition and United Sikhs, as well as putting this work in the broader context of immigration and civil rights in the US.
Leadership for Social Justice: A Sikh-American Perspective, Nov 7th, 2015
November 7, 2015
This one-day workshop provides insights and training for individuals who wish to lead social change efforts. The workshop will be conducted by the Sikh Coalition, a community-based organization that works toward the realization of civil and human rights for all people, including Sikh-Americans. It will include sessions devoted to lobbying, media, legal remedies, and a case study on effective advocacy. Date of event: 11-07-2015 from 9:30am-5pm.
Discussion of Current Events in Punjab
October 29, 2015
At the request of the UCSC Sikh Student Association, Prof. Nirvikar Singh led a discussion with students on current political, religious and social events in the state of Punjab in India.
Lecture: Sikhs in America, San Jose State University, San Jose CA
October 28, 2015
Prof. Nirvikar Singh gave a talk to several dozen members of the SJSU Sikh Student Association, covering the history, socio-economic background, entrepreneurial experiences, and current challenges of Sikhs in America, as well as background on the global Sikh diaspora.
Sikh Student Association Seva (Service) Days (All Year)
October 25, 2015
The UCSC Sikh Student Association organized monthly visits to the San Jose Gurdwara to perform seva, with activities such as helping in the langar (community kitchen). Seva days in 2016: 10/25/2015, 11/16/2015, 01/31/2016, 02/28/2016
Lecture: Sikhs in America, Paaras Youth Center, Fresno CA
October 24, 2015
Prof. Nirvikar Singh gave a talk to several dozen Sikh community members, covering the history, socio-economic background, and current challenges of Sikhs in America, as well as background on the global Sikh diaspora.
Presentation: Waking in Oak Creek
October 22, 2015
Prof. Nirvikar Singh showed the DVD of this title, documenting the local community’s response to the August 2012 killings at the Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and led a discussion with the UCSC Police Department Fall Quarter Citizens’ Academy, where the audience included students, community members and UCSC police officers.
Lecture: Sikh beliefs and values and cultural traditions, Land of Medicine Buddha, Soquel CA
August 20, 2015
Prof. Nirvikar Singh delivered this lecture as part of the Land of Medicine Buddha Visiting Scholar Series for Summer 2015, and was attended by a cross-section of local community members. (Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/840997902674106/permalink/840997969340766/)
