Migration, religion and identity: a generational perspective on Sikh immigration to Spain

Abstract

Spain is a recent addition to the places of the Sikh diaspora, with 21,000 individuals recorded in 2016 (1% of the Sikh diaspora, but half of the total of Indian immigrants in Spain). This immigrant group shows clear generational components and is marked by expulsion from the political and economic spheres of their homeland, Punjab. Our main objective is to study how generational differences affect the socio-demographic structure, the migration process (reasons, routes, ways and destinations), religious practices and identity issues in the diaspora. We use a qualitative methodology. Primary data were collected in 60 in-depth interviews of Sikhs of diverse socioeconomic profiles and generations, from 25 municipalities of Spain during 2015–2016. We find that all the generations respond to the internal and external boundaries of the community in different ways which shape their views regarding the preservation and reproduction of religious practices and identity in a foreign setting.

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