El Día de los Muertos—the Day of the Dead—is a lively holiday celebrated in Latin America in honor of the deceased. This year, Professor Eduardo González of Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Gudalajara, will discuss, “La Migración y el Culto a la Santa Muerte: Asirse a lo que Sea” (Migration and the Cult of Santa Muerte: Hanging onto Whatever). Professor González’s talk will take place Thursday, Oct. 29 starting at 7 p.m. in Sussman Theater.

This event is part of The Comparison Project. The “cult of Santa Muerte” (Saint Death) is the fastest growing and most prominent religious movement in Mexico today. Professor González’s lecture explores the worship of Santa Muerte in the city of Guadalajara, focusing both on the general ways in which the church of Santa Muerte offers “a place for everyone” and on the specific ways in which Santa Muerte serves the needs of migrants attempting the crossing to the United States.

Eduardo González Velázquez is a research professor at Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. He won the Jalisco Journalism Award in 2009 and 2007 for reporting and writing, respectively. He has published 30 articles and book chapters, including “Ciudadanos a la Mitad.” His current area of research is U.S.-Mexico migration.

Further details can be found at the Comparison Project website.

—Submitted by Drake International