Dr. Pedraza, is a Professor of Sociology and American Culture at UM, where she received a B.A. and M.A.; her Ph.D. in Sociology is from the University of Chicago. She was born and raised in Cuba, from where she immigrated with her family. Her work seeks to understand the causes and consequences of immigration as a historical process that forms and transforms persons and nations. She is the author of three books and numerous articles.

In this talk Professor Pedraza traces the changing relationship of the church and state during the Cuban revolution. Over the course of nearly 60 years, the Cuban revolution has had several distinct relationships to the Church, ranging from open confrontation and silencing to incorporation. Changing its definition from an atheist society in the early years of the revolution to a secular society now, today it is more possible to be religious and to practice one’s faith in Cuba than it was earlier in this half century.

This is the last in a six-lecture series. The subject is Cuba: Our Neighbor in Transition. The next lecture series will start November 2, 2017. The title is The Common People in Modern Politics.