.

Myriam Lamrani is a Spanish/Moroccan anthropologist living in Athens

Episode 484: Myriam Lamrani is an anthropologist whose recent book, The Intimacy of Images, published by University of Texas Press,  explores the image of La Santa Muerte in Mexico.

I met Myriam through photography this year, and we began discussing her work as an anthropologist exploring the image of La Santa Muerte, an image that carries connotations of death, protection, and devotional obsession. There are also connotations of the saint as both a matrilineal patron and a Mariana figure, and she has several iterations of a relationship with her followers.

There is also the discussion of Catholicism, colonialism, and narco-terrorism implicit in the debate surrounding the transcendental nature of the saint. Violence is an inherent topic in Christianity, so it should come as no surprise that this discussion is also prevalent when discussing the devotion of the saint. Myriam and I discussed all of this in person in October in Athens. Please listen in!