Ritual

Robbie Davis-Floyd is Adjunct Professor in the Dept. of Anthropology at Rice University, and Fellow of the Society for Applied Anthropology. She is the author of many books including Ways of Knowing about Birth: Mothers, Midwives, Medicine, and Birth Activism (2018, Waveland).

“This book provides a fascinating introduction to ritual while offering innovative heuristics (e.g., ritual drivers, entrainment, symbolic penetration) to interpret how ritual effectively works…Highly Recommended.” • Choice“This book is ultimately a fantastic resource for those who desire for an enriched, holistic understanding of ritual in society (both past and modern). Due to the book’s rich literature review and clear definition of ritual it would be ideal for any undergraduate classroom, non-academic interested in understanding ritual, and professional scholars.” • Anthropological Book Forum“One could say that this is a "ritual omnibus"—a text that takes us on a journey into the different scales and dimensions of ritual, and ultimately encourages its readers to rethink their understandings both of ritual and of society.” • Ruy Blanes, University of Gothenburg“This book is the go-to resource for anyone seeking a holistic, modern understanding of the human phenomenon of ritual. Robbie Davis-Floyd and Charles Laughlin not only assemble information and insights from a panoply of anthropologically known societies, but also enrich their discussion of ritual’s power from their own personal life experiences. The results are exciting and potentially lifechanging.” • Megan Biesele, President, Kalahari People's Fund

• List of IllustrationsForewordBetty Sue FlowersPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: What is Ritual? Its Definition and CharacteristicsChapter 1. Symbolism in RitualChapter 2. The Cognitive Matrix of Ritual: Belief Systems, Myths, and ParadigmsChapter 3. Belief Systems, Myths, Paradigms, Rituals, and the Process of TruingChapter 4. Ritual Drivers: Generating and Controlling Stages of ConsciousnessChapter 5. Ritual Techniques and TechnologiesChapter 6. Ritual Framing, Order, and Formality: How Ritual Generates a Sense of Inevitability and InviolabilityChapter 7. Ritual as Performance: Generating Emotion, Belief, and TransformationChapter 8. Ritual and the 4 Stages of CognitionChapter 9. Ritual's Paradoxical Roles: Preserving the Status Quo and Effecting Social ChangeChapter 10. Designing RitualsConclusion: Ritual: What It Is, How It Works, and WhyAppendix 1. How to Create and Perform an Effective Stage 4 Ritual: Things to Remember and IncludeAppendix 2. List of Documentary Films about RitualReferencesIndex