Bruja, Christian, or Other? Politics of Categorizing “Brujería” alongside Mexican Spiritual Practices

This paper examines the contested categorization of Mexican spiritual practices, particularly in relation to the term Brujería, within both academic discourse and lived experience. By analyzing the historical, epistemological, and social forces that shape these classifications, this study explores the ways in which Western religious frameworks  classify these traditions as “folk religion" rather than an entire religious system in and of itself. Drawing from decolonial theory and Religious Rtudies, the paper interrogates how Brujería has been both a stigmatizing label and a reclaimed identity, reflecting broader tensions in religious hybridity and cultural identity. This study highlights how these traditions embody a syncretic spirituality that defies rigid religious binaries. By situating these practices within the broader shifts in religious affiliation, identity, and interfaith engagement, this paper challenges the necessity of categorization itself and calls for a more nuanced, decolonial approach to understanding Mexican spiritualities.