Laënnec Hurbon | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1940 (age 84–85) |
| Nationality | Haitian |
| Alma mater | Institut Catholique de Paris,Sorbonne University |
| Occupation | Sociologist of religion[1] |
| Notable work | Voodoo: Truth and Fantasy |
Laënnec Hurbon (sometimes anglicised asLaennec Hurbon; born 1940) is aHaitiansociologist and writer specialising in the relationships betweenreligion,culture andpolitics in theCaribbean region.[2] He is also a Catholic theologian and ex-priest turned researcher and writer.[3][4]
Hurbon was born inJacmel, acommune in southernHaiti. He isDoctor of Theology (Institut Catholique de Paris) and Sociology (Sorbonne University),[5] director of research atCNRS and professor at theQuisqueya University inPort-au-Prince, of which he is one of the founding members.[6] Today he focuses on the relationships between religion, culture and politics in the Caribbean region and has written many books onHaitian Vodou.[6]
His notable publications are theDieu dans le Vaudou haïtien (1972) andLe Barbare imaginaire (1987), which have been described as "two classics" of the author; and the "small 'big book'" –Les mystères du vaudou (1993; US ed. –Voodoo: Search for the Spirit),[7] which is a heavily illustratedpocket book fromÉditions Gallimard's "Découvertes"collection. He also edited a collective work entitledCatastrophes et environnement : Haïti, séisme du 12 janvier 2010 (2014).[8]
About the author
