Roger Canals Vilageliu

Roger Canals Vilageliu is an Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona's Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology. He specializes in Visual Anthropology, Religious Anthropology (African American Cults), and Multi-Modal Anthropology. His research focuses on topics such as indigenous and Afro-American cultures, transculturation processes, and the role of imagery in religious practices.

His major funded projects include the ERC Consolidator Grant (2021-2026) on visual reliability in scientific and religious imagery, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015) for studying Afro-Venezuelan rituals in Barcelona. He has led or participated in over a dozen research initiatives examining cultural heritage, ritual practices, and transnational identities.

Key scientific awards include the Wenner-Gren Foundation Fejos Fellowship. His work bridges ethnographic theory with innovative visual methods, producing both academic publications and award-winning documentaries like A Goddess in Motion (2017) and The Wind and the Words (2019).

Research interests further include anthropology and ethics, digital ethnography, and the intersection of media with indigenous communication. He collaborates with the Research Group on Indigenous and Afro-American Cultures (CINAF), contributing to global debates on cultural preservation and transnational religious practices.