Summary
The Hindu faith is complex and compelling, and it is determined to find a home in America far from the land of its birth: India. The first American Hindus were pathfinders, nurturing Hindu philosophy until it gained acceptance in society. Today, Hindu temples dot the American landscape and unite Hindu peoples eager to have their ancient religious principles coexist in a modern, technological country.
Hindu, Jain, and Sikh Faiths in America, Third Edition also addresses the historical, ethical, and moral issues of the Sikh religion and its noteworthy entrance into traditions in America. From humble immigrants laboring in the timber trades in 1910, the Sikh tradition has flourished here in America as followers developed businesses, restaurants, and farms. Though largely confined to India in the past, Jainism, with its close roots to Buddhism, is gaining a foothold in the United States as well. This title explores the history of Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism in America and looks at the valuable contributions Sikhs, Jains, and Hindus have made to American culture and society.
New and updated coverage includes:
The Asian Exclusion Act of 1917
Dealing with discrimination
Ayurvedic medicine and Hindu-inspired yoga
Indian American leaders in culture, public service, business, and politics
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Deepak Chopra.
About the Author(s)
The late Dr. Gail Harley, professor of religious studies at the University of South Florida and editor of the Encyclopedia of Women in American Religious Life, wrote the original work.
Laura J. Vollmer, who revised the present work for the third edition, is an independent scholar and a prolific writer, with numerous contributions to academic works on a variety of topics related to religion, science, culture, health, and politics. She wrote a monograph on theory and method in the study of religion, The Relationality of Religion and Science: Toward a New Discourse-analytical Framework (Brill, forthcoming). Currently, she is writing a book with the working title A Dream Come True: How Dreams Have Shaped the History of Religion and Society. Dr. Vollmer has also been a freelance academic editor for over 10 years, working with multiple peer-reviewed journals and books, including the Journal of Religion in Europe and Numen: International Review for the History of Religions. In the past, she worked as an adjunct instructor at Washington University's University College in the Department of Religious Studies.