Sikh Feminists Research Institute Conference 2012

“While Sikh American women do a lions-share of organizing and executing the business of the Sikh community, their experiences of faith, family, and community are under-represented in art, literature, and scholarship. In fact, the experience and image of a Sikh woman is obsolete and – in most cases – invisible in the North American milieu. The modern landscapes and political and social influences that shape Sikh women’s lives as well as the subsequent paths they take have yet to be understood, documented, shared and absorbed by our cultural psyche.”

The above description is an excerpt from the “Sikh American Women and Their Love Stories Collection” presentation that will be taking place at this year’s Our Journeys conference, hosted by the Sikh Feminists Research Institute on October 27th.  This conference series, the first of its kind, provides a platform to explore the intersections of Sikhi and gender. The goal is to promote research around Sikh feminist issues, heighten participation in critical discourse, promote alliance building and develop partnerships between academic and community organizations.

Often times, conversations about Sikhs, Sikh issues and the Sikh identity start and end with the Sikh male identity. While this conversation is acutely relevant in the climate of ignorance and discrimination that we live in, it’s also critical that we have conversations that include, are about, and are led by Sikh women.

Having attended last year’s inaugural conference, I look forward to engaging once again in a conversation around women’s issues within the Punjabi/Sikh framework.  It’s exciting that we have a platform to celebrate the growth and development of the Sikh feminist voice.

This year’s presentations will be framed around four issue areas: Gender ki Hai? What is Gender?, Ensaaf: Social Justice, Dharm di Sharan: Sikh Women’s Spiritual Practices and Feminist Approaches to Research Methods in Sikh(ism).

Our Journeys Conference 2012: Inspirations, Explorations, Voice and Practice will be held at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada on the 27th October 2012.  Registration and more information can be found on the conference website.  A list of speakers can be found here and the conference program here.