Three PhD students and their Director of Studies will be presenting at the 18th Annual Conference of the European Association for the Study of Religions (EASR) on their first ever Sikh studies panel. The conference will take place in Pisa between 30 August and 3 September 2021 after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Narinder Kaur, Supreet Uppal and Avneet Hunjan are all students of the School of Humanities’s Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies.
Narinder is working towards a doctorate in Sikh musicology, Supreet is exploring Sikhs’ perceptions, attitudes and barriers in accessing professional mental well-being help, while Avneet is looking into the relationship between alcohol and the Panjabi Sikh community.
“At this critical time in human history, where religion and faith are questioned in moments of private and collective crisis,” said Narinder, “the EASR conference this year is on the theme of resilient religion.
Supreet, who will be presenting the talk ‘Accessing the Impact of Covid-19: Religious Coping Strategies on Sikhs’ Mental Well-being within the United Kingdom’.
Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar MBE, Director of Studies for the PhD students and Director of Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies said: “This is the first time ever that the European Association for the Study of Religions is having a panel on Sikh Studies. Dr Takhar will also be presenting at the conference. Her presentation is entitled: ‘The Role of Sikh Institutions and Organisations during the Pandemic in the United Kingdom’.
