Emerging Ritual in Secular Societies: A Transdisciplinary Conversation

By: Robert C. Scaer and Michael Picucci and Matthieu Smyth and Lindy Mechefske and Joanna Wojtkowiak and Jeltje Gordon-Lennox and Jacqueline Millner and Isabel Russo and Irene Stengs and Gianpiero Vincenzo and Ellen Dissanayake and Christine Behrend and Andrés Allemand Smaller

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Synopsis: The growing absence of meaningful ritual in contemporary Western societies that has led to cohesive research of the history of ritualizing behaviour and traditional events in different cultures. The relatively new field of ritology which includes neuroscience, anthropology, cultural psychology, psychotherapy, and even art and performance, raises questions about the significance and practice of ritual today. While there is widespread literature on religious rites and practice, this book is the first of its kind to discuss the importance of secular rituals for cultural and personal growth. The contributors will provide an authoritative account of the science and history of rituals and their role in creating healthy societies in the modern age.