2016 – 2022 Postdoctoral research fellow. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. UFRJ, Brazil.

2008 – 2012 Ph.D. in Social Sciences (Social Anthropology). State University of Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Brazil.

2004 – 2006 Masters in Social Ecology. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Brazil.

1995 – 1999 B.A. in Tourism. Faculdades Integradas Hélio Alonso, FACHA, Brazil.

2020 – 2023 B.A. in Social Sciences. State University of Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Brazil.

Cecilia Bastos is a fellow researcher at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Social Sciences in the Humanities and Social Sciences at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Germany. She was a postdoctoral research fellow in Social Anthropology at the National Museum/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) from 2016 to 2022.
She holds a PhD in Social Sciences and is the author of the book “In search of spirituality in India: the meanings of a modern pilgrimage,” released in 2016.
She develops research in the field of the anthropology of complex societies, with an emphasis on the social construction of the person, covering topics such as individualism, subjectivity, pilgrimage, embodiment, emotion and spirituality.

Publications

2024. ‘Yoga, Emotion, and Behaviour: Becoming Conscious of Habitual Social Roles’. Journal of Contemporary Religion 39 (2): 229–47. https://doi.org/10.1080/13537903.2024.2347048.

with Ladeira, Thaís Assis. 2024. ‘Life of Yoga and Neo-Hinduism: Identities and Belongings’. Sociologia & Antropologia 14 (1). https://doi.org/10.1590/2238-38752024v14111.

2023. ‘Processes of Production and Transmission of Meanings in the Construction of the Yogic and Meditative Ethos’. CAS-E Blog. 21 December 2023. https://cas-e.de/2023/12/21/processes-of-production-and-transmission-of-meanings-in-the-construction-of-the-yogic-and-meditative-ethos/.

2023. “Peregrinação, devoção e individualização: o contexto do yoga e Vedanta no Rio de Janeiro.” Mana 29: e2023003. http://doi.org/10.1590/1678-49442023v29n1e2023003.pt.

2023. “Visão de mundo e projeto de busca espiritual: o ethos de praticantes do yoga e Vedanta.”USP. Revista de Antropologia 66: e201334. https://doi.org/10.11606/1678-9857.ra.2023.201334.

2022. “Individualism in Spirituality? A Close Look at Vedanta Students and Yoga Practitioners in Rio de Janeiro.” International Journal of Latin American Religions 6 (2): 404-419. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41603-022-00176-4.

2022. “Nueva Era, cuerpo y subjetividad: la performance de los practicantes de yoga y meditación.” Sociedad y Religión 32 (60): 1-19. http://id.caicyt.gov.ar/ark:/s18537081/rej5r04ap.

2021. “Em busca de autoconhecimento e amadurecimento: narrativas de peregrinações à Índia.” Ilha – Revista de Antropologia 23 (2): 130-148. https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-8034.2021.e71422.

2020. “Corpo, emoção e saúde mental de praticantes de yoga e meditação.” 32ª Reunião Brasileira de Antropologia. https://bt.ly/359cywY.

2019. “Meditação e yoga nas camadas médias do Rio de Janeiro: análise do campo nos estudos da Bhagavad Gita.” Religare 16 (2): 659-691. https://doi.org/10.22478/ufpb.1982-6605.2019v16n2.46356.

Lectures & Presentations

2023. ‘Identity, Body and Emotion among Yoga and Meditation Practitioners in Brazil’. Lecture presented at the Center for Advanced Studies Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective (CAS-E), Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.

with Monika Hirmer. 2024. ‘Different Perspectives on the Yogic Body: From Renouncing to Embracing the World’. Seminar presentation presented at the Open Circle Seminar, Center for Advanced Studies Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective (CAS-E), Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.