Ritual A Very Short Introduction
Ritual: A Very Short Introduction by Barry Stephenson, published by Oxford University Press in 2015, offers an insightful exploration into the significance of ritual in human life. This edition spans 126 pages and is presented in English. The book delves into the nature of ritual, examining its role in culture and its ambiguous position in modern society. It raises questions about the utility of ritual, the various forms it takes, and its dual capacity to be both conservative and transformative.
Readers will find a comprehensive analysis that combines theoretical and historical perspectives on ritual. Stephenson discusses how rituals intersect with everyday life, touching on themes such as politics, identity formation, and cultural change. The text also addresses the boundaries of what constitutes ritual and the implications of these behaviors in social contexts. By encompassing a wide range of topics within modern ritual studies, this Very Short Introduction provides a nuanced narrative of ritual’s impact on social and cultural life.
Official synopsis Publisher
Ritual is part of what it means to be human. Like sports, music, and drama, ritual defines and enriches culture, putting those who practice it in touch with sources of value and meaning larger than themselves. Ritual is unavoidable, yet it holds a place in modern life that is decidedly ambiguous. What is ritual? What does it do? Is it useful? What are the various kinds of ritual? Is ritual tradition bound and conservative or innovative and transformational?
Alongside description of a number of specific rites, this Very Short Introduction explores ritual from both theoretical and historical perspectives. Barry Stephenson focuses on the places where ritual touches everyday life: in politics and power; moments of transformation in the life cycle; as performance and embodiment. He also discusses the boundaries of ritual, and how and why certain behaviors have been studied as ritual while others have not.
Stephenson shows how ritual is an important vehicle for group and identity formation; how it generates and transmits beliefs and values; how it can be used to exploit and oppress; and how it has served as a touchstone for thinking about cultural origins and historical change. Encompassing the breadth and depth of modern ritual studies, Barry Stephenson’s Very Short Introduction also develops a narrative of ritual’s place in social and cultural life.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
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