The Construction of Religious Boundaries: A Critical Analysis (Part 2)

Published in 1994, Harjot Oberoi’s work The Construction of Religious Boundaries: Culture, Identity, and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition has been influential in the field of Sikh Studies. In this work, Oberoi has examined the emergence of the idea of “Sikhism” in colonial Punjab. Despite its limited influence, Oberoi’s theoretical framework and his historiography still require critical examination. This lecture will offer a fresh reading of the indigenous Sikh sources to examine the validity of Oberoi’s claims about the role of colonial agency in the process of religion-making among the Sikhs.