Ritual: Key Concepts in Religion

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Ritual has emerged as a major focus of academic interest. As a concept, the idea of ritual integrates the study of behavior both within and beyond the domain of religion. Ritual can be both secular and religious in character. There is renewed interest in questions such as: Why do rituals exist at all What has been, and continues to be, their place in society How do they change over time Such questions exist against a backdrop of assumptions about development, modernization, and disenchantment of the world. Written with the specific needs of students of religious studies in mind, Ritual: Key Concepts in Religion surveys the field of ritual studies, looking at it both historically within anthropology and in terms of its contemporary relevance to world events.

Reviews

This book is very rich in ethnographic details ... [and] it is even richer in the numerous concepts alluded to, both traditional and modern ... This book is largely useful to undergraduates studying anthropology or religious studies, or someone, like myself, who needs a refresher in the area of ritual from this rather specialised point of view. But the interested lay person would certainly benefit too. * De Numine *
Stewart and Strathern critically evaluate classical and newer thinking in ritual studies, from that of Tylor, Frazer, Harrison, and Radcliffe Brown, to that of Turner, Bourdieu, Bell, Rappaport, Whitehouse, and Laidlaw. In addition, they thoughtfully critique persistent themes, such as sacrifice, secrecy, habitus, cognition, embodiment, performance, and framing. Insight based on fieldwork, including the authors own, is proffered throughout. Overall, the elucidation is sharp and well-supported. Ritual: Key Concepts in Religion is a tremendous asset for the scholars and advanced students. -- Margo Kitts, author of 'Sanctified Violence in Homeric Society'
Ritual: Key Concepts in Religion provides an important, powerful and provocative advance in the study of ritual. Braiding together reflection on rituals in many places with cutting edge analysis, the authors demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of existing concepts. They make possible a greatly enriched performance of theorizing ritual. -- Graham Harvey, The Open University, UK

Author Bio

Pamela J. Stewart is Senior Research Associate and Co-Director of the Cromie Burn Research Unit, in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and Co-Editor of the Journal of Ritual Studies and the Ritual Studies Book Series. Andrew Strathern is Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and Co-Editor of the Journal of Ritual Studies and the Ritual Studies Book Series.