About the Center

The creation of the Center for Sikh and Punjab Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, was approved in the spring of 2004. Located jointly in Global and International Studies Program and Religious Studies, the Center provides institutional support for the study of the Sikh tradition, the region of the Punjab, and the Punjabi communities settled in other parts of the world.

The first of its type in North America, the Center's aims are:

(1) to serve as a premier venue for research and scholarly exchange;
(2) to develop and promote undergraduate and graduate teaching;
(3) to disseminate knowledge through publications and outreach activities;
(4) to assist other universities embarking on programs in this area, and
(5) to be proactive in involving the Sikh/Punjabi community in these activities.

Professor Gurinder Singh Mann has been the Director of the Center since its creation in 2004. Since September 2011, he has been assisted by Professor Shinder Singh Thandi, Visiting Professor in Global and International Studies.

Please visit the links above for detailed information about each area.