Myths Stories whose truth seems self-evident because they do such a good job at integrating personal experiences with a wider set of assumptions about the way society and the world in general should operate.

Cosmology A set of principles and beliefs about the nature of life and death, the creation of the universe, the origin of society, the relationship of individuals and groups to one another, the relation of humankind to nature. A system of beliefs that deals with fundamental questions in the religious and social order.

Religion A social process which helps to order and give coherence to society and which provides its members with meaning, unity, peace of mind and the degree of control over events they believe is possible.

Ritual A patterned act or set of acts, a repetitive, stylized social practice composed of a sequence of symbolic activities which follows a culturally defined structure, and which is closely connected to specific ideas such as myths.

By yourself, think about examples of ritual. You can use class materials such as the films we have seen, and also examples from your textbook. Explain how your example is a ritual given the definition provided. Hand in your notes.

Rites de Passage Rites which accompany every change of place, state, social position and age.

Van Gennep

Three stages: Separation Liminality Reaggregation

Separation A pre-liminal stage exemplified by ceremonies such as purification rites, the removal of hair, or scarification, tattoos, and cutting. Function = to separate individuals from their previous social role.

Liminality The individual undergoing the rite is symbolically situated “outside society.”

Liminality A threshold, a state betwixt and between, the ambiguous state of being between states of being.

Reaggregation The individual is reintegrated into society in a new status or altered state.

Liminality A moment of ritual transformation. A moment when the normal rules and the social hierarchy of society are negated. A moment when communitas is created. A period of special and dangerous power, which can be constrained and channeled to protect and maintain the current social order, or harnessed for social change.

Communitas A generalized social bond. Society in communitas is an unstructured group of relatively undifferentiated individuals, a communion of equal individuals who submit together to the general authority of the ritual elders.

Components of liminality Communication of sacra

Symbol The smallest unit of specific structure in ritual.

Dominant Symbols Recurrent symbols characterized by pronounced multivocality, expressing the shared values on which social life depends.

How can we interpret “Frosh Week” as a rite of passage using Turner’s article and lecture materials? Work in groups of 4 and hand in discussion notes.