جستجوی استاد راهنمای دانشگاهی

George Coleمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

• Hispanic Caribbean Literature and Culture
• Afro-Caribbean Religious Practices
• Hispanic Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction
• +۷ مورد دیگر

Dr. George Cole is an Associate Professor of Spanish at Texas Tech University's Classical & Modern Languages & Literatures (CMLL) Department. He specializes in Hispanic Caribbean literature and culture (Cuba and Puerto Rico), Afro-Caribbean religious practices, and Hispanic speculative genres like fantasy, horror, and science fiction. His work bridges literature, theater, and cultural anthropology, with a focus on Yoruba religious traditions and their representation in art. Education: B.A. in French Language and Literature, University of Puerto Rico M.A., Washington State University Ph.D., Arizona State University (2005) Research Interests: Dr. Cole explores Afro-Cuban cultural identity, Latin American drama and poetry, and transgressive genres such as detective fiction and graphic novels. His recent projects examine intersections between supernatural elements and criminal narratives. He also investigates the role of Santería in Cuban cinema and literature. Awards: Nominated for AriZoni Theatre Award (Best Supporting Actor, 2002 & 2004) Three-time 'Outstanding Faculty Member' recognition from Texas Tech's College of Arts & Sciences (2005–2007) Leadership & Service: Dr. Cole has served as Director of Spanish and Portuguese Graduate Studies (2018–2025), Interim Director (2022), and Co-Director of the Hispanic Studies Collection. He also holds editorial roles at Dura and Revista Temas Americanistas . Creative Works: His poetry collections Círculos concéntricos (2014) and Hojas sueltas (2015), and the cyberpunk noir short story collection Cadáveres en la oscura ciudad y otros relatos (2023) showcase his narrative versatility. He has authored plays like La indocumentada (2008) and directed six theater productions at Texas Tech.

Ysamur Flores-Penaمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

• African-based Religions in the New World
• Cultural Anthropology
• Religious Studies
• +۷ مورد دیگر

Ysamur Flores-Pena is an Associate Professor at Otis College of Art and Design, affiliated with the Creative Action department under Liberal Arts and Sciences. He specializes in African-based religions in the New World, with a focus on Lucumí (Santería) traditions, identity politics, and intercultural communication. Education: Ph.D., Folklore and Mythology, University of California, Los Angeles (1998) M.A., Folklore and Mythology, UCLA (1991) M.A., Education, Catholic University of Puerto Rico B.A., Hispanic Studies, University of Puerto Rico His research explores Afro-Caribbean ritual arts, sacred narratives, and the intersection of religion, aesthetics, and identity. He has published extensively on topics like Ifá divination, Yemaya altars, and Puerto Rican Spiritism, while his teaching spans courses on religious anthropology, cultural communication, and urban violence. Scientific Awards: UCLA Wayland D. Hand Award (1998) Arnold Rubin Award (1993) Project 88 Scholarship (1990-1994) Graduate Opportunity Fellowship (1989-1990) Otis Faculty Development Grants (multiple years) He has received recognition for his scholarship and teaching, including a certificate from the City of Venice and honors from UCLA and the American Folklore Society. His publications and exhibitions at institutions like the Fowler Museum and St. Louis Museum highlight his interdisciplinary approach to African diasporic cultures.

C. Lynn Carrمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

• Sociology of Religion
• Gender Studies
• Sexuality Studies
• +۵ مورد دیگر

C. Lynn Carr is a Professor of Sociology at Seton Hall University, specializing in contemporary identity formations with a focus on religion, gender, and sexuality. She holds a Ph.D. and teaches courses on sociological topics ranging from qualitative methods to American societal structures. Her research examines how individuals navigate religious practices within multicultural contexts, particularly in Jewish Reconstructionist communities and Afro-Cuban Lukumi traditions. Carr has authored two major books: Facing Death Together: Shiva in a Jewish Reconstructionist Community (2023) and A Year in White: Cultural Newcomers to Lukumi and Santería in the U.S. (2016), which explore mourning rituals and religious boundary-crossing respectively. Her scholarly work spans three decades, addressing intersections between gender, sexuality, and identity through qualitative methodologies. Carr has reviewed over 20 books for venues like Reading Religion and H-Net , critically engaging topics such as modern Jewish identity, Orthodox Jewish conversion, and Afro-Caribbean religious practices. Awards include the prestigious Jack Shand Research Grant. Carr’s teaching portfolio includes courses on deviance, race/ethnicity, and social inequalities. While no lab affiliations are explicitly noted, her fieldwork-based research demonstrates deep engagement with community ethnography. Her work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks from social constructionism to emotion sociology with empirical case studies.

Elena Zapponiمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر

• Gender Studies
• Racialized Sexualities
• Slavery and Postcolonialism
• +۵ مورد دیگر

Elena Zapponi is a Researcher in Anthropology at the Department of Humanities , Ca' Foscari University of Venice . She focuses on gender dynamics, racialized sexualities, religious anthropology, and environmental conflicts in Cuba and Latin America. Her work examines how aesthetic production intersects with postcolonial identity and citizenship practices. PhD in Sociology (EHESS Paris, 2006) PhD in Cultural Anthropology (Sapienza Rome, 2022) Recent research includes ethnographic studies on Havana haircare practices , Cuban vaccine sovereignty , and Damanhur's gender hierarchies . She has received the 2011 Annual Prize from the Association Française de Sciences Sociales des Religions for her Compostela pilgrimage study. Her 15 most recent publications (2005-2024) span topics in: Gender and racial representation Religious pluralism and syncretism Migration and diaspora communities Environmental conflict anthropology Postcolonial cultural analysis She teaches Anthropology of Development and Environmental Conflicts in Master's programs and maintains active research collaborations in Latin America and Europe.

Stephan Palmiéمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

• Sociocultural anthropology
• Afro-Caribbean religions
• Historical anthropology
• +۶ مورد دیگر

Stephan Palmié is the Norman & Edna Freehling Professor of Anthropology and of Social Sciences in The College at the University of Chicago, where he maintains an office in Haskell 212. A preeminent scholar in sociocultural anthropology, Palmié is internationally recognized for his ethnographic and historical research on Afro-Caribbean cultures, particularly Afro-Cuban religious formations and their transnational connections across the Atlantic world. His work critically examines intersections of religion, history, and power while challenging conventional disciplinary boundaries. His academic credentials include: D.Phil in Anthropology, University of Munich (1989) Habilitation in Social Sciences, University of Munich (1999) Palmié's research spans Afro-Caribbean religions, historical anthropology, race and ethnicity, embodiment, food studies, and science and technology studies. He is renowned for deconstructing epistemological hierarchies between Western scientific practice and Afro-Cuban ritual knowledge, while analyzing constructions of race, systems of slavery, and moral personhood. His scholarship reveals how historical consciousness manifests in everyday practices, particularly through Cuban culinary traditions and religious syncretism. Analysis of his recent publications demonstrates consistent engagement with epistemological questions at anthropology's intersection with history and philosophy. His work increasingly examines molecular biology and genomics through anthropological lenses while maintaining deep focus on Cuban historical particularities. A recurring theme involves using Afro-Cuban ritual as a critical prism to interrogate Western scientific rationality, revealing productive parallels between seemingly disparate knowledge systems. His scientific recognition includes: Clifford Geertz Prize (2014) from the Society for the Anthropology of Religion for The Cooking of History: How Not to Study 'Afro'-'Cuban' 'Religion.' Palmié has co-edited significant scholarly interventions including the 2021 HAU special issue on Fernando Ortiz and the 2019 volume The Varieties of Historical Experience . Information regarding graduate student advising, research grants, or laboratory teams was not documented in the source material.

• New Religious Movements
• Folk Religion
• Contemporary Paganism
• +۸ مورد دیگر

Shelley Rabinovitch serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ottawa, where she specializes in diverse religious traditions and contemporary belief systems. Her research critically examines folk religious practices across global contexts, with focused investigations into modern witchcraft and Pagan communities , Roman Catholic folk syncretism , and Afro-Caribbean traditions including Santeria and Voudou. She also analyzes Indigenous spiritualities of First Nations peoples, ritual dynamics in new religious movements, and intersections of popular culture with religious expression. Her work incorporates cultural anthropology frameworks to explore gender dimensions ( Women's Studies ) and aboriginal religious resilience . Proficient in both French and English, Rabinovitch contributes to Canada's bilingual academic landscape through her expertise in marginalized religious phenomena and contemporary spiritual innovation.

Elizabeth Pérezمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

• Afro-Diasporic Religions
• Gender and Sexuality in Religion
• Vernacular Catholicism
• +۳ مورد دیگر

Elizabeth Pérez serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where her ethnographic and historical research centers on Afro-Diasporic religious traditions across the Americas including Cuban Lucumí, Brazilian Candomblé, and Haitian Vodou. Her work examines ritual practices, material culture, and the intersection of gender, race, and spirituality within the Black Atlantic world. Pérez earned her undergraduate degree at Hampshire College, where she completed a thesis titled 'Cosa Sabrosa: The Writing of Saint Teresa of Avila,' establishing early foundations in vernacular Catholic studies that would inform her later work on Black Madonnas and Latinx Christianities. Her research investigates the poetics of Caribbean altar displays, women's religious leadership, and the social life of religious objects—particularly chromolithographs of Black Madonnas. Current projects focus on transgender experiences within Afro-Diasporic traditions, exploring how gender-nonconforming practitioners navigate religious frameworks that simultaneously challenge and reinforce essentialist gender constructs. Recent publications reveal evolving methodological approaches blending ethnography, poetry, and critical theory to examine vernacular Catholic iconography, trans religious archives, and the alimentary metaphors in Afro-Atlantic cosmologies. Her work consistently centers marginalized voices while interrogating colonial legacies in religious scholarship. Pérez's scholarship has received significant recognition including the 2024 Leonard Norman Primiano Book Prize for The Gut: A Black Atlantic Alimentary Tract and the 2017 Clifford Geertz Prize for Religion in the Kitchen. She has also been honored with the 2022 LGBTQ-RAN Educational Resource Prize and multiple poetry award finalist positions. 2024 Leonard Norman Primiano Book Prize for The Gut 2017 Clifford Geertz Prize for Religion in the Kitchen 2022 LGBTQ-RAN Educational Resource Prize 2025 Alta California Chapbook Prize Finalist 2024 Cardinal Poetry Prize Finalist Her University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellowship (2010-2011) supported foundational research on transgender religious practitioners, while ongoing projects examine remittance economies and the 'social life of things' within diasporic communities. Pérez's teaching includes specialized courses like 'Dark Goddesses & Black Madonnas' and 'The Virgin of Guadalupe: From Tilma to Tattoo,' connecting historical analysis with contemporary identity negotiations. Though not explicitly structured around formal labs, Pérez's research emerges through sustained community engagement with religious practitioners in Chicago's South Side and transnational networks of Afro-Atlantic religious communities, emphasizing collaborative knowledge production with ritual specialists and marginalized religious actors.

Kenneth Schweitzerمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

• Ethnomusicology
• Afro-Cuban Music
• Music Production
• +۳ مورد دیگر

Kenneth Schweitzer is an Associate Professor of Music specializing in Ethnomusicology, Percussion, and Electroacoustic Music Production at Washington College. His research focuses on Afro-Cuban sacred batá drumming in Santería rituals and the socio-political impacts of edutourism in Cuba. He has conducted extensive fieldwork across Cuba and diasporic communities. Education: D.M.A. in Percussion Performance (University of Maryland, 2003), M.M. in Ethnomusicology (University of Maryland, 1997), B.A. in Music (SUNY Stony Brook, 1994). Research interests include: Santería ritual music preservation Impact of edutourism on Cuban communities Cuban-US cultural/political dynamics Teaching encompasses courses on music production (Ableton/Protools), Latin American music history, jazz, and percussion performance. He leads Afro-Cuban ensembles and electronic music workshops. Recent conference presentations address decolonialization in tourism studies and pandemic-era cultural exchanges. Publications analyze Cuba's cultural tourism challenges and post-colonial imaginaries.

Xhercis Méndezمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

• Decolonial Feminism
• Afro-Latinx Religions
• Gender and Sexuality
• +۴ مورد دیگر

Xhercis Méndez is an Associate Professor and Vice-Chair of Women and Gender Studies at California State University, Fullerton, with a visiting research associate role at the Women's Studies Research Program (WSRP) during 2022–23. Her work centers on decolonial feminist methodologies, Afro-Latinx and diasporic religious practices, and intersections of race, gender, and science. She received her PhD in the Philosophy, Interpretation, and Culture Program at SUNY Binghamton. Her research project, Conjuring (An)Other Humanity: Decolonizing Feminist Methodologies from Within Afro-Latinx Ritual , critically examines gender studies frameworks through non-Western religious systems like Afro-Cuban Santería. In teaching, Dr. Méndez emphasizes diversifying academic spaces by incorporating non-canonical texts by people of color, aiming to amplify marginalized voices. Her academic contributions focus on decolonial theory, queer and feminist epistemologies, and Afro-Latinx diasporic philosophies.

Stuart Marrsمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

• Percussion Performance
• Music Education
• World Music
• +۳ مورد دیگر

Dr. Stuart Marrs is a Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Maine, where he served from 1985 until his retirement in 2023. He has held roles including Chair of the Music Division and Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. Marrs holds a Doctor of Music from Indiana University and has extensive international experience, including teaching at the National University of Costa Rica and orchestral positions in Bolivia, Costa Rica, and the U.S. His professional career spans over 50 years, featuring solo performances, orchestral roles (e.g., Bangor Symphony Orchestra), and collaborations worldwide. Education: Doctor of Music (1989), Indiana University Master of Music (1984), Indiana University Bachelor of Music (1970), Indiana University Research & Interests: Marrs focuses on percussion performance, music education, and world music. He pioneered percussion studies in Costa Rica, authored analytical works on Elliott Carter, and developed courses in digital music and world music. His global clinics and masterclasses emphasize Latin percussion, timpani techniques, and pedagogy. Performance & Recordings: Notable works include his DVD on Elliott Carter’s Eight Pieces for Four Timpani and recordings with the Louisville Orchestra. He has performed in over 20 countries, leading percussion ensembles and solo recitals. Awards & Affiliations: Yamaha Performing Artist Endorser for Sabian, Vic Firth, and Grover ProPercussion President of Maine Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society Advising & Grants: As administrator, Marrs led initiatives like the Maine Day of Percussion and developed interdisciplinary courses. His legacy includes mentoring generations of percussionists and shaping music curricula internationally. Labs/Teams: Directs the UMaine Percussion Ensemble and collaborates with global institutions. His work with the Ensemble de Percusión Costa Rica and academic networks reflects his commitment to cross-cultural music education.

• Contemporary and pre-Columbian beliefs in Central Mexico and Central America
• Syncretic processes
• Cultural semiotics
• +۵ مورد دیگر

Dr. Piotr Michalik is a Lecturer at the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies (Jagiellonian University, Poland). His work focuses on Mesoamerican and Central American belief systems through anthropological, semiotic, and folkloristic lenses. PhD in Religious Studies (2011, Jagiellonian University) MA in Philosophy (Jagiellonian University) His research explores contemporary and pre-Columbian religious practices , with particular emphasis on: Syncretic processes in Mexican Folk Catholicism and Cuban Santería Cultural semiotics of death and witchcraft Goddess figures in Nahua metaphysical systems Charms and magical traditions His publications and fieldwork (Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba) analyze myth-ritual connections , color symbolism in textiles, and shamanic practices. Recent projects include studies on Nagualism and Tlalokan cosmology. 2016 Golden Rose Award nomination 2015 I. Domeyko Award Maintains international collaborations with institutions like CIESAS (Mexico), University of Bonn (Germany), and Goethe University.

• Social Anthropology
• Ethnology
• Religious Studies
• +۵ مورد دیگر

Maxime Toutain is an Associate Member at LISST-CAS (Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Solidarity, Societies, Territories) and holds an ATER (temporary teaching and research) position in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Toulouse - Jean Jaurès. His academic work focuses on the intersection of anthropology, religious studies, and memory studies, particularly examining how Afro-Cuban religious practices preserve and transform historical memory of slavery. His research interests center on the cultural memory of slavery in Cuba, with particular attention to how religious practices at the central Méjico sugar plantation in Matanzas incorporate ancestral memories. Drawing from French memory anthropology and Cuban ethnographic traditions, Toutain investigates how religious possession, family secrets, and ritual practices serve as vehicles for transmitting historical knowledge that might otherwise be lost. His work bridges theoretical frameworks from scholars like Chivallon, Hartog, and Palmié with detailed fieldwork in Cuban religious communities. Analysis of Toutain's publications reveals a consistent focus on how Afro-Cuban religions, particularly Santería and Lucumí traditions, function as living archives of slavery memory. His research demonstrates how religious practices transform historical trauma into spiritual resources, with particular attention to the role of spirit possession, ritual objects, and oral narratives. Over time, his work has expanded from detailed ethnographic studies to examine broader questions of cultural patrimony and heritage tourism related to slavery sites in Cuba. Toutain's academic contributions demonstrate significant expertise in qualitative research methods, particularly ethnography and participant observation. His work shows strong interdisciplinary connections between anthropology, religious studies, and postcolonial theory, with particular relevance to understanding how marginalized communities preserve historical memory through non-institutional means.

Kristina Wirtzمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

• Linguistic Anthropology
• Sociocultural Anthropology
• African Diaspora
• +۷ مورد دیگر

Kristina Wirtz is a Professor of Spanish at the Department of Spanish, Western Michigan University. Her academic work bridges linguistic anthropology and sociocultural analysis of Caribbean and Latin American communities. Education: Ph.D. in Linguistic and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania (2003) Wirtz specializes in the interplay between language, identity, and ritual performance, with a focus on Afro-Caribbean traditions like Cuban Santería. Her research explores racialization processes, diaspora dynamics, and language ideologies in the Americas. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in eastern Cuba and the U.S. educational system. Her publications examine semiotic dimensions of religious altars, racializing performances in colonial contexts, and the materiality of ritual communication. These works reflect interdisciplinary approaches combining anthropology, semiotics, and critical race theory. Scientific Awards: Edward Sapir Prize (2015) from the Society for Linguistic Anthropology for Performing Afro-Cuba Wirtz teaches courses on semiotics, discourse analysis, and Caribbean cultural history, integrating ethnographic methods into her pedagogy. Her contributions include two monographs: Ritual, Discourse, and Community in Cuban Santería (2007) and Performing Afro-Cuba (2014).

Solimar Oteroمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

• Afro-Latinx Cultures
• Caribbean Religions
• Gender and Sexuality Studies
• +۵ مورد دیگر

Solimar Otero is a Professor in the Department of Gender Studies and Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology at Indiana University Bloomington's College of Arts and Sciences, where she also serves as Editor of the Journal of Folklore Research . Her academic appointments reflect deep interdisciplinary engagement across gender, folklore, and diaspora studies. Her educational foundation includes: Ph.D. in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania M.A. in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania B.A. in Anthropology (Suma Cum Laude) from the University of California, Berkeley Otero's research interrogates Afro-Latinx spiritual traditions through the lenses of gender, performance, and necropolitics. She examines how ancestral narratives manifest in contemporary Latinx communities, particularly through Afro-Cuban religious practices and Caribbean folklore. Her work consistently centers transnational feminist frameworks and decolonial methodologies to analyze power dynamics in religious expression and material culture. Recent publications reveal evolving scholarly trajectories toward African diasporic necropolitics and ritual assemblages, with increasing focus on Latinx performance as resistance. These works bridge religious studies, anthropology, and critical gender theory while maintaining strong connections to community-based knowledge systems. Her distinguished recognition includes: 2021 Albert J. Raboteau Prize for Archives of Conjure: Stories of the Dead in Afrolatinx Cultures 2024 Indiana University Presidential Arts and Humanities Award for the Spanish translation of her monograph Otero actively shapes pedagogy through courses like Gender and Fairytales, Women's Folklore, and graduate seminars in Performance Studies, while her editorial leadership advances critical folklore scholarship through intersectional approaches.