INTERRELIGIOUS RELATIONS

In a study of London’s Hindu and Sikh temples, Vertovec argues that “the assumed idea of the temple as a community centre can be problematic in relation to the divergent roles and meanings the temple can hold for different groups.”28 Drawing on extensive qualitative studies of churches and Hindu temples in Singapore, Woods and Kong highlighted the everyday exclusionary experiences of migrants in t. [...] In so doing, it problematises the monolithic portrayals of the inclusionary potential of gurdwaras for the diaspora communities, challenging the prevailing positive notion of the gurdwara as a “socio-cultural hub and an identity marker for a diverse community.”38 Such a focus can enable a more nuanced, fine-grained understanding of the potential and politics of religious institutions in supporting. [...] The History and Place of Sikhs in Singapore The Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent has been the historic homeland of the Sikhs.39 Comprising the northwestern part of India and the eastern part of Pakistan, Punjab was one of the last provinces to be annexed by the British in 1849. [...] I am a Singaporean, and you are from India… like I said it is a mentality.” These anecdotes thus reflect how divisions within the society are often replicated and reproduced in the gurdwara,65 raising questions about the potential of gurdwaras in promoting inclusion and engagement within the Sikh community, and the role of religious leaders and Singaporeans in these efforts. [...] The Programme seeks to be at the forefront in the development of scholarship and applied knowledge on the roles of religion and inter-religious relations in plural societies today.