Martijn Oosterbaan

Prof. Martijn Oosterbaan is a Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Utrecht University, leading the Chair in Anthropology of Religion and Security. He holds a PhD from the University of Amsterdam and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Groningen. His research focuses on religion, media, urban transformations, and security in Brazil and Europe, with particular emphasis on Pentecostalism, popular culture, and the interplay between state violence and socio-religious dynamics. He coordinates the Research Master in Cultural Anthropology and Sociocultural Transformation.

• Education: PhD (2006) and postdoc (2006-2009) at University of Amsterdam/Groningen
• Research Projects: ERC Consolidator Grant (Sacralizing Security), NWO-funded studies on criminal aesthetics and women's football
• Awards: Seed Money for Sustainable Cities Research Hub (2018), New Materialisms Conference Grant (2018)
• Teaching: Courses on religion, media, and globalization

His work bridges anthropology with urban studies, examining how religious practices and media shape urban spaces and security frameworks. Recent articles analyze Pentecostal autoconstruction in Rio, theological-political policing, and post-Olympic urban legacies. He collaborates internationally on projects linking infrastructure, sustainability, and social transformation.