Cristina Rocha

Cristina Rocha serves as a Senior Lecturer at the School of Humanities and Languages and is affiliated with the Centre for Cultural Research at the University of Western Sydney, Australia. As an anthropologist, her work bridges academia and transnational religious phenomena with institutional recognition through major research fellowships.

Her research centers on religion in globalized contexts, specifically examining Buddhism's adaptation in Western societies and the transnational spread of Brazilian religious practices. Through ethnographic study of "John of God"—a Brazilian Spiritist healer attracting international followers—she analyzes cross-border flows of sacred objects, healing practices, and community formation between Brazil and countries like Australia, Germany, and New Zealand. Key themes include the efficacy of traditional healing in modern contexts and rural transformation through religious globalization.

Dr. Rocha's scholarly recognition includes:

• Urasenke Foundation Scholarship
• Japan Foundation Fellowship at Osaka's National Museum of Ethnology
• Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship

She co-edits the Journal of Global Buddhism with international scholars and has held visiting positions at the University of Auckland. Current projects include the edited volume "The Diaspora of Brazilian Religions" (Brill) and her manuscript "Seeking Healing in Brazil: John of God and the Globalisation of Spiritism" investigating transnational religious economies.