Gustavo Morello

Gustavo Morello SJ is a Professor of Sociology and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Boston College (Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences). He holds a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from the Universidad de Buenos Aires (2011). His work focuses on the interaction between religion and modernity in Latin America, challenging North Atlantic-centric frameworks to explore Latin America's unique religious dynamics. He is known for his research on 'lived religion,' emphasizing everyday spiritual practices beyond institutional affiliation.

• Affiliations: Boston College, University of Michigan (visiting scholar), Universidad Católica de Córdoba (1997–2011)
• Key Roles: Director of Undergraduate Studies, Principal Investigator (PI) of major research projects, D’Arcy Lecturer (Oxford, 2019)

His research agenda prioritizes practices over institutions, analyzing how modernity shapes religious engagement in cities like Córdoba, Lima, and Montevideo. He explores themes such as prayer, tattoos as religious expression, and the role of Catholicism during Argentina’s Dirty War. His pedagogical approach emphasizes critical thinking and student-driven learning, with continuous syllabus adaptation based on feedback.

Publications include Lived Religion in Latin America: An Enchanted Modernity (OUP, 2021) and The Catholic Church and Argentina’s Dirty War (OUP, 2015). He has received grants from institutions like the Irmgard Coninx Foundation and Trinity Western University, and his work has been featured in media like The Wall Street Journal and podcasts like 'Jesuitical.'

Key Grants:

• 'The transformation of lived religion in urban Latin America' (2015–2018)
• Berlin Roundtables on Urban Governance (2009)

Awards:

• 2019 D’Arcy Lectureship, University of Oxford
• Visiting Scholarships at University of Michigan and Trinity Western University

His current research projects include analyzing tattoos as religious practices and the symbolic role of Pope Francis in Argentina’s public sphere.