Santa Muerte (or “Saint Death”) is far more than a popular saint, she’s a framework for understanding Mexican history, Mexican politics (in particular the legacies of corruption, and the marginalization of women, the poor, the incarcerated, and those living on the fringes of “legitimate” society), and finally Santa Muerte is an entry point for examining the ongoing power and influence of Catholicism in Mexico, and its relationship to the Mexican state and to indigenous communities.
We speak with Luisa Grijalva, PhD, professor of Political Philosophy in the Department of International Relations at the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, México.
