Heather Frigiola

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Heather Frigiola

Ph.D. Candidate

Department(s)
Anthropology

Biography

I am a Ph.D. student in cultural anthropology. My advisor is Iván Sandoval-Cervantes. I study human-animal interaction and the anthropology of religion in the United States. My current research focuses on the use of therapy dogs in a Christian ministry setting. Among other questions, I am examining the partnership between human and dog as co-subjects and co-agents in religious practice. This research reveals new roles for dogs, and sheds light on emergent religious practices being developed in response to the increased social importance of the human-companion animal bond in U.S. society, as an example of post-domesticity.