As a nano-minority within academic environments, I position myself as a researcher who has
consistently been embedded in institutions of higher education dominated by majority groups with
whom I have not fully identified. My lived experiences within these spaces reflect a complex
negotiation of marginalization and institutional privilege, shaping both my pedagogical orientation
and scholarly commitments.
My most salient identity is that of a Sikh minority. Persistent underrepresentation of Sikhs in
academia significantly informs my research questions, ethical commitments, and teaching
practices. I carry the historical and ongoing experiences of marginalization associated with being
part of a racialized and religious minority, while simultaneously benefiting from the protections
and legitimacy afforded by academic institutions at the scholarly level. This dual positioning
informs my approach to teaching, where empathy, compassion, and dialogic engagement function
as pedagogical resources rather than affective byproducts. Drawing on my cultural capital, I
intentionally engage dialogic pedagogy to navigate classroom power dynamics and support
students encountering unfamiliar or non-affirming learning environments.