Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice

In recent years the notion of ritual has emerged as an important focus for new forms of cultural analysis. Arguing that the concept of ritual is overdue for critical rethinking, Bell here offers a close theoretical analysis of the recent developments in ritual studies, concentrating on anthropology, sociology, and history of religions. She begins by showing how discourse on ritual has served to generate and legitimate a limited and ultimately closed form of cultural analysis. She then proposes that so-called ritual activities be removed from their isolated position as special, paradigmatic acts and restored to the context of "social activity" in general. Using the term "ritualization" to describe ritual thus contextualized, she defines it as a culturally strategic way of acting. She goes on to show how this definition can serve to illuminate such classic issues in traditional ritual studies as belief, ideology, legitimation, and power.

Literature & Fiction

Catherine Bell

History & Criticism

Oxford University Press, Inc.

Action photographs of tennis stars, such as John McEnroe, Chris Lloyd, and Billie Jean King, are accompanied by brief discussions of their playing techniques

Passing Shots

Sports & Outdoors

Beaufort Books

Three mischievous kittens play matchmaker in a trio of spooky Halloween mysteries--"The Reluctant Warlock" by Donna Bell, Catherine Blair's "The Black Kitten, and Joy Reed's "A Cat by Any Other Name." Original.

Magical Kittens

Romance

Donna Bell

Joy Reed

Historical

Zebra

Simple Modern Cooking

Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Absolute Press

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Books by Catherine Bell