Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Justin Glessner

Second Advisor

Jason Fuller

Third Advisor

Deepa Prakash

Abstract

With a following of more than thirty million individuals, Sikhism is the world’s fifth-largest religion. Despite this fact, the lack of awareness, understanding, and knowledge of what and who constructs Sikhism is globally provident through negative stereotypes perpetuated through a variety of media representations. This lack of understanding is further perpetuated by the lack of modern-day representation of Sikhs, especially within the Western world. This research will identify the modern-day representation of Sikhs through an analytical lens, with a focus on their status as a model minority within and outside India, and their representation in Western media and society. While the overall representation of Sikhs has increased in the Western world, they continuously face inaccurate stereotypes. The most prominent stereotypes consist of labeling Sikhs as violent individuals or confusing them for Muslim individuals in Western TV shows and movies. There continues to be little discussion about their identity, beliefs, or their commitment to service and helping those in need. These issues can be best combated through an increase in education about the Sikh religion and more accurate media representation.

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