Indigenous Cosmologies in Today's World

People in the Western world/Global North often assume that the move towards secularity precludes them from any involvement in religion. However, many of our current institutions - including the state, legal systems, and even personal values - are founded on religious views. Christianity, in particular, has been the basis of much of pan-American societies. But have these foundations served us well? Climate change, ever-increasing income inequality, and widespread sociopolitical issues would beg to differ.

My research will focus on unearthing old stories with the aim of presenting new worldviews and frameworks that could help us address contemporary issues. I am particularly interested in the portrayal of women and femmes in pre-Columbian societies, the respectful application of spiritual practices (such as using plant medicines like ayahuasca) to treat modern-day illnesses, and how to leverage popular culture for renewed storytelling.