This thesis contributes to international research on the identities of a significant diasporic religious minority, the Sikhs. My study investigates the transmission of Sikhism among an under-researched age group, young adults between the ages of 18 and 30, and develops a framework for analysing the production and reproduction of religion in a British diasporic community. It examines the reasons and processes behind the growth of religious transmission events organized by and for young Sikhs such as youth camps and university Sikh societies and considers these in the context of both traditional and contemporary transmission methods, looking particularly at the role of families, religious institutions and the internet. The age group being studied is that of 'emerging adulthood', a phase of life which has emerged in modern industrial societies in the years between adolescence and marriage, during which many young Sikhs now have the time and space to examine their tradition on their own terms. As most studies of religious transmission have focused on members of western majority communities, the central question of this study is how transmission processes impact on young British-born members of a diasporic community, particularly one with such an often distinct external identity. To what extent are they influenced by migration, ethnicity and minority status? And, situated as they are in western modernity, how far do British Sikh emerging adults experience a 'turn to the self and manage individual authority whilst also sustaining membership of a religious community?

This research considers Sikh gurdwaras in England as heritage places, responding to recent debates within heritage studies and the wider social sciences surrounding how we identify the value and significance of places for people. It also aims to address an emphasis within heritage practice on original and built form, by allowing for new conceptions of place and value to come to the fore which acknowledge cultural diversity and scalar flexibility. The thesis asks what the value is of gurdwaras in England to those who use and manage them, and have been involved with their ongoing development. It is envisaged that the results presented here will directly impact upon ongoing debates regarding what constitutes heritage in England, and how this is recognised and managed by Historic England and the wider heritage and planning sectors. The methodological approach taken to the research is qualitative, with a focus on exploring the everyday use and significance of gurdwaras for those who use them regularly, or are involved in their management and development. The narrative experiences of respondents reveal shared and competing understandings of places as gurdwaras, reflecting the religious and social diversity of the Sikh community in England. In general, importance is placed on any gurdwara as the home of the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scriptures) and related practices, and on remaining useful, relevant and purposeful for the immediate and wider community. This research also reveals that the relationship between social and religious values and the physical fabric of a gurdwara building, is nuanced, complex and often highly contextual; where one may be valued because of the community contribution to development work, another may have previously functioned as a church, and is now valued because of its past and ongoing religious function. The implications of this research relate to a need to more fully debate how a range of values and understandings of place can be acknowledged within heritage practice, ensuring the appropriate future recognition and management of perceived heritage places.

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