Introduction

Diaspora as a mode of cultural production means the world-wide flow of cultural objects, images and meanings resulting in variegated processes of creolization, back-and-forth transferences, mutual influences, new contestations, negotiations and constant transformation. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the historical background of the Sikh diaspora in Japan and the circumstances of their migration by looking at their case studies to understand the context of the Sikh diaspora in Japan. It focuses on the problems which the Sikhs in Japan have faced and the strategies used by them to cope with these, by discussing their case studies. The book presents a comparison of various aspects of the life of the Sikhs in Japan with those in their home villages in India by focusing on their social and cultural practices and type of consciousness of the Sikh diaspora in Japan.