Giulia Cavallo

Giulia Cavallo is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) of the University of Lisbon since 2021 and a postdoctoral researcher at CRIA-ISCTE on the HERA-funded 'HERILIGION' project since 2019. Her work bridges academic anthropology with artistic practice, focusing on African religious studies and graphic ethnography.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Anthropology, University of Lisbon (2013)
• Master's in Anthropology: Multiculturalism and Identity, University of Turin
• Master's in Philosophy

Professor Cavallo's research centers on the anthropology of religion, particularly healing practices within Mozambican Zion churches. She examines how women navigate 'closed paths' through spirit possession rituals, integrating ethnographic fieldwork with graphic illustration to explore memory and affect. Her work extends to urban religious diversity in Maputo and the intersection of biomedicine with spiritual healing for infertility and childhood illness. This interdisciplinary approach uniquely positions her at the crossroads of anthropology, art, and African studies.

Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a pronounced shift toward graphic ethnography as both methodology and output, with exhibitions and articles visualizing therapeutic processes in religious contexts. These works consistently analyze material culture, color symbolism, and spatial dynamics within African Christian communities, demonstrating how visual representation enhances ethnographic understanding of healing and memory.

She has secured competitive funding through HERA and FCT grants, directing projects like the 'Pequena Oficina de Antropologia' with Lisbon City Council. While student supervision details aren't public, her professorial role implies active mentorship. Her collaborative ethos is evident in partnerships with CRIA-ISCTE and international researchers on African religious studies.

Operating an independent art studio in Lisbon since 2017, she creates a dynamic hub for exhibitions like 'Sermos Impermanentes' (2023) that translate ethnographic insights into visual narratives, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between anthropology and contemporary art.