The South Asian Religious Diaspora in Britain, Canada, and the United States

This book explores the experience of religious communities that have migrated from South Asia (India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh) to live in Britain, Canada, and the United States, three countries sharing a common language (English) and an interwoven history. The work introduces the migration history of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs along with the cultural nuances of these traditions. The contributors discuss the various communities' experiences that grow out of or are related to religion. The book shows how traditions are reformed or reinvented and how they are passed on, both through the family and through institutions. Issues related to public policy and minority status are also addressed. While the main focus is on the Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities, specific sections also cover South Asian Christians, the Zoroastrian diaspora, and new religious movements in the west led by South Asians. The book strikes a balance between stories and statistics in order to emphasize the narrative of the immigrants' experience.

Harold Coward is Director at the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at the University of Victoria, British Columbia. John R. Hinnells is Research Professor of Comparative Religion at the University of Derby, England. Raymond Brady Williams, LaFollete Distinguished Professor in the Humanities at Wabash College in Indiana.