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Satwinder Bains, PhD is Director of the South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley and an Associate Professor in the School of Culture, Media and Society, College of Arts. Dr Bains’ research interests include the study of the impact of language, culture and identity on South Asian Canadian migration, settlement, and integration. She teaches anti-racist curriculum implementation; identity politics; migration and politics in the South Asian Canadian Diaspora and Punjabi Canadian cultural historiography. She has published widely and is an award winning and well recognized scholar and social agent of change. Dr Bains is the Chair of the Knowledge Network, Director of the Abbotsford Community Foundation and has served as a Commissioner on the Agricultural Land Commission, as a Director of the Fraser Basin Council, as a Bencher on the Law Society of British Columbia and as a member of the Farm Industry Review Board for British Columbia.

PhD (SFU), M.Ed. B.A.

• South Asian Diaspora studies;
• Sikhism and the politics of identity;
• cultural historiographies; 
• migration, settlement and integration; 
• race, racism and ethnicity; 
• minority rights and cultural politics.

Bains, S. (2014). Community Engaged Heritage Praxis – a response on racialized experiences. Conference Proceedings: Diverse Views on Decolonizing Reimagining Heritage Policy in BC – Royal Roads: Victoria.

Bains. S. (2024). Transnational Punjabis and ideas of home. Canadian Jewish Studies / Etudes juives canadiennes  Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes (yorku.ca)

Bains, S. (2024). A century of Indian migration to Canada: a choreography of challenges and changes. India Migration Report – Editor S. Irudaya Rajan. https://www.routledge.com/India-Migration-Report-2024-Indians-in-Canada/Rajan/p/book/9781032769745

Bains, S. (2024 in press). Section Editor: Theology and Religion online - Bloomsbury Religion in North America. BRINA: Sikhism.

Bains, S. (2024 in press). Sikhism as a young religion. BRINA: Sikhism.

Bains, S. (2024 in press). Punjabi economic migration to Canada – a success story. In Palgrave Handbook on Migration of Indians to Southeast Asia. Rajan, I. & Kaur, A. (Eds.). London: Palgrave.

Bains. S; Jothilingam. T., & Sohi. A. (2023). South Asian Canadian Digital Archive: Fostering knowledge diversity and equity through multilingual knowledge infrastructures. Pop!Public.Open.Participatory. Pop! South Asian Canadian Digital Archive (popjournal.ca)

Bains. S. (2023). The Canadian Encyclopedia. The Story of Paldi. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/paldi

Bains, S.  (2023). (Re)Making home away from home: memory, bravado and belonging. Keith Wallace (Ed). Vancouver: Figure 1 Publishing.  https://www.figure1publishing.com/book/rajesh-vora/

Bains, S. (May 2022). South Asian Canadian Legacy Project impact and influence. Vancouver: BC History, BC Historical Federation.

Bains, S. (2022-2024). Saffron Threads. Learning Resources on South Asian Canadian culture, history, and heritage at Open School BC. Saffron Threads: Exploring South Asian Canadian Culture, History, and Heritage in BC (openschool.bc.ca)

Bains. S. & Gurm, B.  (March 2022). Editors. Social History of South Asian Canadians in BC. UFV: South Asian Studies Institute. https://saclp.southasiancanadianheritage.ca/social-history-book/

Bains, S. (March 2022). Editor. Union Zindabad. UFV: South Asian Studies Institute. https://saclp.southasiancanadianheritage.ca/union-zindabad-labour-history/

Bains. S., Berg, M., & Suri, S. (2022). The South Asian Canadian Digital Archive Thesaurus: Thesaurus Construction for the South Asian Canadian Diaspora. KULA: Knowledge Creation, Dissemination, and Preservation Studies. https://kula.uvic.ca/index.php/kula/article/view/223/466

Bains, S. (June 2021). Sikh Migration, Settlement, History and Fraser Valley Connection. A Diverse Tapestry. Abbotsford Historical Book Committee. https://adiversetapestry.opened.ca/

Bains, S. (June 2021). The National Historic Site Gur Sikh Temple, Abbotsford. A Diverse Tapestry. Abbotsford Historical Book Committee.

Bains, S. (June 2021). Dr Dalip Singh Gill. A Diverse Tapestry. Abbotsford Historical Book Committee.

Bains, S. (June 2021). Abbotsford’s Thandi family. A Diverse Tapestry. Abbotsford Historical Book Committee.

Bains, S. (June 2021). Kelly Chahal. A Diverse Tapestry. Abbotsford Historical Book Committee.

Bains, S. (June 2021). Mo Gill. A Diverse Tapestry. Abbotsford Historical Book Committee.

Bains, S & Chung Tzu-I. (2021). Community Engagement Tool: A case Study of Punjabi Canadian Legacy Project. BC Museums Association. https://museum.bc.ca/brain/community-engagement-tool-a-case-study-of-the-punjabi-canadian-legacy-project/

Bains, S. (May 2021). Review of the Nameless Collective. BC Studies. https://bcstudies.com/new_media_review/the-nameless-collective-podcast-exploring-history/

Bains, & Sandhra, S. (Sept 2021). The body politics of gender in Sikhi: shaping, shifting and pushing boundaries. South Asian Diaspora. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19438192.2021.1969517

Bains, S. (Winter 2021). Guest editor. BC history. British Columbia Historic Federation.

Stirling, B., Suryaprakash, N., Sawatzky, R., Mulldoon, M., Mercier, M.L., Moorthy, D., Gandhi, R., Bains, S., Li, L., Doyle-Waters, M., Brown, S., Laurie Goldsmith, L. (March 2020). A research agenda to improve patients’ experience of knee replacement surgery: a patient-oriented modified Delphi study of patients of South Asian origin in British Columbia. CMAJ Open 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7124165/

Bains, S. (Jan 2020). Interrogating Gender and Sikh Traditions. Religions. Vol. 11 (1). https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/1/34

Dandurand, Y., McCormick, A., and Bains, S. (August 2019). Developing Strategies on Violence Prevention and Community Safety in Abbotsford, BC. South Asian Research Fellowship Report. Abbotsford, BC: South Asian Studies Institute at UFV. https://ufv.ca/sasi/research/publications/

Bains, S. & Chung, Tzu-I. (May, 2019). The Punjabi Canadian Legacy Project: possibilities and limitations of institutional heritagization from below. International Journal of Heritage Studies, Vol, 26, issue 3, p. 221-236. Routledge. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13527258.2019.1620829

Dhamoon, R., Bhandar, D., Mawani, R., & Bains. S. (2019). (Eds). Unmooring the Komagata Maru: Charting Colonial Trajectories. Vancouver: UBC Press. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/U/bo70032695.html

Bains, S. (2019). Resistance struggle: Facing lies, deception, and racism. In Dhamoon, R., Bhandar, D., Mawani, R., & Bains. S. (Eds.), Unmooring the Komagata Maru: Charting Colonial Trajectories. Vancouver: UBC Press. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/U/bo70032695.html

Bains, S. (2017). Journal Review. Recognition and Repentance in Canadian Multicultural Heritage: The Community Historical Recognition Program and Italian Canadian Memorializing. Journal of Canadian Studies: U of Toronto Press.

Bains, S. (2017). Publisher. Dhawan, R: That land beyond the Waves. Abbotsford, BC: Centre for Indo Canadian Studies, UFV.

https://ufv.ca/sasi/research/publications/

Bains, S. (2016). Editor/Publisher. Reluctant Rebellions: New and Selection Non-fiction Shauna Singh Baldwin. Abbotsford, BC: Centre for Indo Canadian Studies, UFV. https://ufv.ca/sasi/research/publications/

Bains, S. (2016). Journal Review. Acceptable to which Society? South Asian Immigrant Women’s Mothering Work in Canada. Elsevier: Women’s Studies International Forum.

Bains, S. (2016). Book Review. The Culture of Migration: Politics, Aesthetics and Histories. London: I.B. Tauris.

Bains, S. (2016). Book Review. Race and Racialization: Essential Readings. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press.

Bains, S. & Sandhra, S. (2015). Sustaining echoes of the past - building a future100 years of Indo-Canadian history. Abbotsford: from village to city; centres of innovation and excellence.  Abbotsford, BC: MSA Museum. https://blogs.ufv.ca/indocanadianstudies/2015/07/06/cics-contributes-to-new-book-abbotsford-from-village-to-city-a-commitment-to-excellence-and-innovation/

Bains, S. (2014). Gendered experiences of isolation in intimate partner violence (IPV) for South Asian immigrant women in Canada. In Panda, U (Ed.), Gender Issues and Challenges in Twenty First Century. New Delhi: Satyam Law International. https://www.abebooks.com/9789382823209/Gender-Issues-Challenges-Twenty-First-9382823204/plp

Bains, S. (2014) Editor. Interpreting Ghadar: Echoes of Voices Past.  Selected Papers of Ghadar Conference 2013. Abbotsford, BC: Centre for Indo Canadian Studies, UFV. https://ufv.ca/sasi/research/publications/

Koehn, S., Jarvis, P., Sandhra, S., Bains, S., & Addison, M. (2014). Promoting mental health of immigrant seniors in community. Ethnicity and Inequalities in Health and Social Care 7(3), 146-156. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/EIHSC-11-2013-0048

Bains, S. & Price, J.  (2014) The Extraordinary Story of the Komagata Maru: Commemorating the One Hundred Year Challenge to Canada’s Immigration Colour Bar. The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 11, Issue 29, No. 1, July 21, 2014. http://www.ufv.ca/media/assets/centre-for-indo-candian-studies/article_4149.pdf

Bains, S. (2014). Living in Fear: Violence as a Societal Scourge. In Jain, A. (Ed.). Violence Against Women All Pervading. Toronto: Elspeth Hayworth Center for Women.

Bains, S. (2013).  Editor. A Soldier Remembers: Memoir of Lt. Col. P.S. Jauhal. Sharanjit Sandhra with Col. Jauhal. Abbotsford BC: Centre for Indo Canadian Studies, UFV. https://ufv.ca/sasi/research/publications/

Bains, S. (2013). When Old Becomes New and the Telling in Re-told: Sikh Stories within Museum Walls. Ashley, S. (Ed.) Diverse Spaces: Examining Identity, Heritage and Community within Canadian Public Culture. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p 170-187. http://thenhier.ca/en/content/diverse-spaces-examining-identity-community-and-citizenship-within-canadian-public-culture-0.html

Bains, S. (2013) South Asian Mothers with Special Needs Children. Sangha, J. & Gonsalves, T. (Eds.) South Asian Mothering: Negotiating Culture, Family and Selfhood. Bradford, ON: Demeter Press. P 101-110. https://demeterpress.org/books/south-asian-mothering-negotiating-culture-family-and-selfhood/

Bains, S. (2013). Indo Canadian Diasporas and Scope for Harnessing Potentials. Ahmed, S. & Nanavati, A. (Eds.) India-Canada Trade and FDI Bilateral Flows: Performance, Prospects and Proactive Strategies". Baroda:  Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. P 19-30

Bains, S. (2013). Feminist Critique of Socio-religious Discourse. Understanding Sikhism: The Research Journal, Vol., 14. No. 1-2.  March 2013 p. 27 – 30

Bains, S. (2003). Canadian Literature #188. Review: Of Silk Saris and Min-Skirts: South Asian Girls Walk the Tightrope of Culture by Amita Handa. Toronto: Women’s Press.

Dhari, R., Patel, I., Fryer, M., Dhari, M., Bilku, S., Bains, S. (1997). Creating a supportive environment for Indo-Canadian women. Canadian Nurse 93(3). P. 27-31.

REPORTS

Bains, S.2007. Indo Canadian Youth – Speak Up Consultation Report. Abbotsford, BC: CICS.https://ufv.ca/sasi/research/publications/

Bains, S. & Sangha, S. 2008. Child, Family and Community Services Act – Impact on South Asian Families. Province of BC: Social Policy Studies.

Bains, S. 2009. Indo Canadian Child Protection Issues: A consultative study. Abbotsford: BC Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Bains, S. 2009. Indo Canadian Seniors: Recreation and Services to Combat Isolation. Abbotsford: City of Abbotsford. https://www.abbotsford.ca/sites/default/files/2021-02/Abbotsford%20Indo%20Canadian%20Seniors%20Project.pdf

Jarvis, P., Koehn, S., Bains, S., Cheema, J., Goudiraan, D., & Addison, M. (2011). "Just scratching the surface": Mental health promotion for Punjabi seniors (forums)--final report. Vancouver, BC: Centre for Healthy Aging at Providence Health Care (CHAP). Available at: http://www.centreforhealthyaging.ca/documents/Just_scratching_the_surface-FINAL_000.pdf [10/12, 2011].

Bains, S. Evaluation Abbotsford Building Connections Project. Abbotsford BC. Dec 2013. https://abbotsford.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?Id=42048&Search=1&Result=3

Bains, S. (2014). A national Historic Site of Canada – The Gur Sikh Temple, Abbotsford. In 1914-2014 Komagatamaru Centennial Souvenir. Vancouver BC: Komagata Maru Foundation.

Bains, S. (June 2014). Indo Canadians: No need to be hyphenated. www.TheIndianDiaspora.com http://theindiandiaspora.com/news-details/conversations/primary_news/indo-canadians-no-need-to-be-hyphenated.htm

Bains, S. (Aug 2014). (Co-Contributor) Abbotsford Building Connections Report: https://abbotsford.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?Id=42048&Search=1&Result=3

Bains, S. (May, 2014). Komagata Maru 100 years later. The Indian Diaspora.com http://theindiandiaspora.com/news-details/my-voice/primary_news/komagata-maru-100-years-later.htm#.U4X61Kr-yyY.gmail

Bains, S. (May, 2015). Review of the Punjabi Program, Dasmesh Punjabi School, Abbotsford, BC.

Bains, S. & Sandhra, S. (2017). Race, racism and anti-racism conversations at UFV. UFV: Race and Anti-Racism Network.

Violence Prevention and Community Safety in Abbotsford BC (2019). South Asian Studies Institute, UFV. https://ufv.ca/sasi/research/publications/

Crime prevention and youth (2022). https://www.southasiancanadianheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Short-Report-Crime-Prevention-Through-Sports.pdf South Asian Studies Institute, UFV.