The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Dr. Jay McDaniel

Hendrix College, Conway, AR
Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism in Arkansas

The Hendrix Diversity Project, begun in the summer of 2002, seeks to map religious diversity in Arkansas. It builds upon the work of Eric Barbee, an associate of the Pluralism Project, who identified and studied Buddhist and Muslim centers in Arkansas. Its current focus is to identify and study Jain, Hindu, and Sikh communities, documenting their activities photographically and discursively.

To date, studies suggest that many if not most Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains in Arkansas are not affiliated with a center, temple, or registered organization. Often they worship together in informal ways, with Jains, for example, joining the Hindus in homes for collective worship. On special occasions the also travel to temples outside the state of Arkansas.

The Director of the Hendrix Diversity Project is Dr. Jay McDaniel, Chair of the Department of Religion. The work of the project is being done by a student assistant, Kayce Green, in cooperation with McDaniel and other members of the Department of Religion. Our sense is that Arkansas, like most other states in the United States, is already rich in religious diversity, as yet not fully documented, and also growing in its diversity through immigration to the state and also, in the case of Buddhism and Islam, conversion. As we continue our study, we wish to deepen the knowledge of the existing groups and study emerging traditions. Following our study of Hindu, Sikh, and Jain traditions, we will turn to Baha'i traditions.

Vedanta Society of Arkansas (1969)