معرفی
Dr. Clara Buitrago Valencia serves as the Coordinator for Internationalization at the Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology (BGHS) at Bielefeld University, a position she has held since July 2020. She earned her PhD in Sociology from Bielefeld University between 2013-2019 and previously worked as Coordinator of the project "The Americas as space of Entanglements" at the Center for Interamerican Studies.
Her educational background includes dual Master's degrees in Contemporary Latin American Studies and Social Anthropology, plus a Bachelor in Social Work, all from Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She has held visiting scholar positions at both Humboldt University and Columbia University.
Dr. Buitrago Valencia's research examines the complex intersections of religion, migration, and cultural adaptation, with particular focus on Pentecostal communities in transnational contexts. Her work explores how religious practices interact with social contexts, especially regarding identity formation among migrant religious leaders.
Her scholarly publications demonstrate consistent engagement with geopolitical frameworks, interamerican relations, and security studies in Latin America. The publications reveal a methodological approach combining ethnographic research with theoretical frameworks like Habitus Analysis.
- Missionaries: Migrants or Expatriates? Guatemalan Pentecostal Leaders in Los Angeles (2021)
- Geopolitical Imaginaries in the Americas (2016)
- Introduction. Geopolitical Imaginaries in the Americas (2016)
- New Strategies for Public Security in Latin America (2014)
At Bielefeld University, she plays a key role in internationalization efforts for the Graduate School while maintaining active scholarly contributions to sociology and religious studies. Her position on the Executive Board of the BGHS reflects her significant institutional standing.
