Eric Breault

Originally from northern Illinois, Eric moved to Arizona in 2008. In 2011 he graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Comparative Cultural Studies. He focused his undergraduate studies on the histories of religious studies theory and Western philosophy. 

At Arizona State University, Eric is in the Anthropology of Religion Ph.D. track of Religious Studies.  His work investigates unofficial folk saints in Latin America with a special focus on Mexican-Catholic folkloric icons that are not recognized by the Vatican, especially La Santa Muerte. This research examines the historical trajectory of how the cult of the saints was brought to the Americas via Spanish conquest, why such folk devotions became pervasive in Latin America, and finally the manner in which these religious practices constitute societies based on a shared sense of meaning unique to the Latin American context.

Adviser: Dr. Miguel Astor-Aguilera

Matriculated August 2012