معرفی
Brett Hendrickson is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where he specializes in Mexican American religious traditions, healing practices, and borderland religion. His scholarship examines the intersection of religion, culture, and healing in the U.S.-Mexico border region, with particular attention to material religious practices and sites of pilgrimage.
Education:
- Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2010
- M.Div., Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 2002
- AB, Columbia University, New York, 1999
Hendrickson's research focuses on Mexican American religious history, religion and healing, Latino/a popular religious devotions, and the history of religion in the U.S. Southwest. His work examines how religious traditions adapt and transform across cultural boundaries, particularly through healing practices and pilgrimage sites. He investigates how religious identity intersects with cultural, political, and historical contexts, especially in border regions where multiple traditions converge and interact.
His publications reveal consistent thematic development across two decades, tracing the evolution of Mexican American religious practices from pre-Columbian traditions through contemporary expressions. The scholarship demonstrates particular expertise in curanderismo (Mexican American folk healing), the Santuario de Chimayó as a site of religious convergence, and the complex religious identities of Mexican Americans navigating multiple cultural frameworks. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary religious studies, examining both traditional practices and their modern adaptations.
Hendrickson's academic contributions include significant monographs that have shaped the field of Mexican American religious studies, with his most recent work providing the first comprehensive introduction to Mexican American religions. His scholarship demonstrates methodological sophistication, drawing from historical, ethnographic, and material culture approaches to religious studies.
Through his teaching and research, Hendrickson has established himself as a leading scholar in Mexican American religious traditions, contributing significantly to our understanding of how religion functions as a vital cultural force in Latino/a communities across the United States.
