Sikh-ing a Voice: Representation, Research and Responsibility

In this inaugural lecture Professor Jasjit Singh will argue that visibility is not voice and that meaningful representation requires translation, trust, and accountability

Lecture Venue: Liberty Moot Court LT

Professor Jasjit Singh’s inaugural lecture reflects on a journey in academia and explores how scholarship intersects with public life. It examines three interconnected themes: Research, Representation, and Responsibility. Beginning with research on religious transmission among British Sikhs, the lecture considers how co-produced scholarship travels beyond academia to shape education, policy, and media narratives. It then interrogates the dynamics of representation—how Sikhs have been portrayed historically, how they have represented themselves, and how decentralised authority structures create space for contingent voices. Finally, it addresses the ethical and structural responsibilities of public scholarship in an age of digital media and artificial intelligence. Drawing on theorists including Hall, Asad, and Campbell, and grounded in lived experience, this lecture argues that visibility is not voice, and that meaningful representation requires translation, trust, and accountability.

The reception to follow will take place in the Maurice Keyworth SR G.31, a short distance away. There will be light refreshments.

In the event of any special requirements, please contact Johanna Stiebert (j.stiebert@leeds.ac.uk). 

Jasjit Singh is Professor of Religion and Global Engagement at the School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science, and Pro Dean International at the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures.