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María Angélica Thumala Olave is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Social and Political Science at the University of Edinburgh. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Cambridge and an M.A. in Philosophy and Social Theory from the University of Warwick. Her research focuses on the intersections of culture, sociology, and religion, particularly within the context of Latin America. She has published works analyzing the cultural bases of social norms and their implications for individual agency, notably in her monograph 'Wealth and Piety: Catholicism in Chile's Business Elite'. Her work critiques prevailing secularization theories by exploring how Chile's economic elite reconcile conservative religious beliefs with modern socio-economic dynamics. Thumala's teaching is informed by a commitment to understanding the cultural ramifications of social practices, especially in relation to reading and literature. Additionally, she has served as a consultant for the World Bank on topics involving cultural practices and gender equality in labor markets. Her scholarly contributions include numerous articles and chapters addressing cultural sociology, elite behavior, and the role of literature in shaping political and ethical perspectives. Through her research, she seeks to illuminate how cultural resources are mobilized in the construction of identity and social justification.
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