Brendan Jamal Thornton

Brendan Jamal Thornton is a cultural anthropologist and Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned his PhD in Anthropology from the University of California, San Diego (2011). His academic work bridges anthropology, religious studies, and Latin American & Caribbean studies.

• Research Focus: Caribbean and Latin American religious cultures, African diaspora spiritual traditions, gender and masculinity, ethnographic methodology, and religious pluralism
• Fieldwork: Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, United States

His publications span top journals like Anthropological Quarterly, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, and Latin American Research Review. Key themes include:

• Intersections of Pentecostalism with urban poverty and masculinity
• Challenging racial essentialism in Caribbean scholarship
• Ethnographic methodological innovations
• Comparative analysis of Afro-Caribbean cosmologies

Scientific Awards:

• 2017 Barbara Christian Literary Award for Negotiating Respect

He has taught courses ranging from Religion in America to Spirit Possession and Mediumship, including unique offerings on supernatural encounters and conspiracy theories. His work emphasizes the dynamic relationship between religion and social identity in postcolonial contexts.