Religious Reconstruction in the South Asian Diasporas

The outcome of an international scholarly collaboration, this collection examines how religions from South Asia have been reconstructed within Western settings and how identity is shaped, not only by migrants, but also by subsequent generations.
Focusing on Britain, USA, Canada and Australia, chapters address the religions, social and political issues facing South Asian diasporas and examines how they have been effected by 9/11 and Britain’s 7/7 as well as the bombings in Bali and Mumbai.

JOHN R. HINNELLS is Research Professor at Liverpool Hope University, UK, a Senior Member of Robinson College Cambridge, UK, and Honorary Professorial Research Fellow, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, UK. His books include Zoroastrians in Britain; Zoroastrian and Parsi Studies; and The Zoroastrian Diaspora. He has also edited The New Penguin Dictionary of Religions and the New Penguin Handbook of Living Religions.

Introduction–J.R.Hinnells * PART ONE: RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL ISSUES * A Reassessment of Identity Strategies Amongst British South Asian Muslims–R.Geaves * British Muslims and Their Search for Religious Guidance–P.Lewis * The Contribution of Nurture in a Sampradaya to Young British Hindus’ Understanding of their Tradition–E. Nesbitt * Celibacy and Salvation in the Swaminarayan Movement–R.Barot * Death and Bereavement in British South Asian Communities–S.Firth * Parsi Zoroastrian Experiences in Four ‘Western’ Countries: A Comparative Study–J.R.Hinnells * PART TWO: RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL ISSUES * Religion and Ethnicity in America–R.Williams * Public Policy Implications of Canada’s Multiculturalism for Religious Pluralism–H.Coward * Cultural Diversity, Religious Plurality and Government Policy in Australia–G.Bouma * Religion in the Educational System of England and Wales: Law, Policy and Representation–R.Jackson * PART THREE: SOUTH ASIAN DIASPORA RELIGIONS POST- 9/11, 7/7, BALI AND MUMBAI BOMBINGS * South Asians in America Post 9/11–R.B.Williams * Law, Religion and South Asians in Diaspora–W.Menski * Living with Difference: A Forgotten Art in Urgent Need of Revival?–R.Ballard * Bibliography * Index