Western Academics Respond to Unacademic Work of WH McLeod

“Dr. Harjeet Grewal, like Puninder, advocated critical thought informed by Sikh sources instead of relying on critical theory from outside Sikhism, especially as critical thinking has been a “tool to dominate non-Western societies.” Dr. Grewal takes a critical look at McLeod’s “Cries of Outrage” and the binary of “traditional” versus “skeptical” historians. Among the points of critique, Dr. Grewal notes McLeod’s privileged access to resources like Western universities and presses and observes that his “whiteness” lent to his “mobility” in South Asia.  Further, “traditional” refers to Sikh – and Dr. Grewal suggests “perhaps exclusively Sikh” – scholars, which denies any “skeptical” thought internal to Sikhism. Dr. Grewal contends that sources may be called “traditional” but this doesn’t mean they offer no avenues for critical thought, and he explores the Sajjan Thug Sakhi as one such example of critical thought.”