Ritual Communication

1 Course Unit

This course invites students to explore the enduring power of ritual in modern life. We will study rituals that unfold at the local level (prayers, proms, parades) as well as those that most of us experience only via the media (Oscars, Super Bowls, Inaugurations). We will examine how rituals forge and strengthen social connections within and across communities and how they create and communicate boundaries between "us" and "them" and between "desirable" and "deviant" behaviors. We will explore how rituals both resist and contribute to social change, consider the role of media and technology in shaping contemporary ritual practices, and examine the creativity of ritual participants. In this interactive course, students will gain hands-on research experience conducting original fieldwork on rituals of their choosing. They will learn how to interpret the language of ritual and how to develop and present compelling research proposals. Fall 1 Course Unit