Ritual Theory
T, Th
LBR 250
smarks@ncf.edu
Office Hours:
Tues
Fri
This course looks at models of ritual, surveying a variety of contexts, functions and assumptions. An exploration of what “ritual” communicates will coincide with consideration of our own skills at communicating by means of the spoken and written word. Throughout the semester as we encounter new models of ritual and interpret them in relation to the ideas we have already considered, we will observe how different theories insinuate different judgments. Final projects will scrutinize the application of a model of the student’s own choosing.
Expectations:
Although there are no prerequisites for this course, the reading and writing load is heavy and the expectations I have of your performance will be high. Regular attendance is required. In order to facilitate review by both your peers and myself, assignments must be handed in on time. Class participation counts towards your overall evaluation. Your classmates will come to depend on your comments even as you will come to depend on theirs. If you are a person who does not readily talk in public, I encourage you to come see me during my office hours, and we can devise other ways for you to have input into class discussions.
Responsibilities:
1. Academic integrity.
2. Active participation. Arrive on time, with readings in hand, having done relevant readings before class session.
3. Two papers, each involving drafts and revisions (a 3-4 page paper and a final 9-12 page paper).*
4. A mid-semester exam.
5. Explorations through informal writing assignments of 15-30 minutes in length.
*An appropriately formatted hard [paper] copy of formal assignments must be handed in on-time, together with all drafts and doodles. You will be evaluated based on the energy of the original exploration as well as the development in the revision process.
Writing and Class Atmosphere:
This course operates on the principle that writing and critical thinking go hand in hand. Our goal is to turn our classroom into a community of writers and a think-tank. Each of you will learn to rely on the reflections of your peers as you use writing to gain deeper insights into your own ideas. You have the right to expect honesty and respect from your peers and from me, even as we will expect the same from you. The only stupid question is the one that you didn’t ask.
Required Texts:
Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb,
and Joseph M. Williams.
The Craft of
Research.
Second edition.
Grimes, Ronald L.
1996
and
electronic reserve which includes additional articles by:
Goldberg, Geertz, Lamott, Bourdieu,
Please also check Library Reserve for related books.
Read:
*Goldberg,
Wild Mind, 1-11 and 31-8
Introduction to RIRS, xiii-xvi
Geertz, RIRS, 217-229
Write: A 20 minute freewrite, “I remember a ritual involving . . .”
Tues Sep 2 More Geertz
Read: *Geertz, “Religion as a Cultural System,” 87-125
Booth, ch 3 “From Topics to Questions”
First written assignment handed out
Thurs Sep 4
J. Z. Smith
Read: J. Z. Smith, 473-83
Booth, ch 4 “From Questions to Problems”
Tues Sep 9 Overview of Symbolic Action
Read: *Lamott, “Someone to Read Your Draft,” 162-171
Due: Written assignment concerning Geertz or JZSmith
[Two copies of paper due]
[Exchange papers with peers]
Thurs Sep 11 Peer Review
Read: Two papers from peers
Due: PRF for each paper
SECTION 2: Ritual and Society
Tues Sep 16 van Gennep
Read: van Gennep,
529-36
Booth, ch 7 “Making Good Arguments,”
ch 8 “Claims” and
ch 9 “Reasons and Evidence”
Thurs Sep 18 Turner and Meyerhoff
Read: Turner, 511-9
Meyerhoff, 393-412
Booth, ch 10 “Acknowledgments and Responses” and
ch 11 “warrants”
Tues Sep 23
Read:
Due:
Revision of written assignment
Thurs Sep 25 Challenges
Read: Bynam, 71-86
Crapanzano, 118-131
Tues Sep 30 More challenges
Read: *Bourdieu, "Rites as Acts of Institution," 79-89
Write: Draft of dialogue between Turner and Bynam, Crapanzano or
Bourdieu [30 minutes]
SECTION 3: Ritual Performance
Thurs Oct 2 Austin and Tambiah
Read: Austin, How to do Things with Words, 1-24
Tambiah, 495-511
Booth, ch 12 “Planning and Drafting”
Tue Oct 7 Grimes and Rappaport
Read: Grimes, 279-93
Rappaport, 427-440
Thurs Oct 9 Exam
Tue Oct 21 Bell
Read:
Thurs Oct 23 Bourdieu and Ortner
Read: *Bourdieu, Outline of a Theory of Practice, 72-95
*Ortner, High Religion, 3-18, 193-202
Handout assignment concerning application of a model
Tue Oct 28
More
Read:
*
Booth, ch 5 “From Problems to Sources”
Thurs Oct 30 Research Tools -- presentation by Librarian Gail Novak
Tues Nov 4 Rabbi Saperstein
Thurs Nov 6 More Grimes
Read: *Grimes, Ritual Criticism, 109-144
Booth, ch 13 “Revising Your Organization and Argument”
Tues Nov 11 Girard and Hardin
Read: Girard, 239-56
Hardin, 308-24
Thurs Nov 13 Jay and more Grimes
Read: *Jay, Throughout your Generations, 128-146
*Grimes,
Deeply in the Bone, 2-13 and 286-332
Tues Nov 18 Overview of case study
Due: Written assignment,7-10 page application of a model
[Two copies of paper due]
[Exchange papers with peers]
Thurs Nov 20 Peer Review
Read: Two papers from peers
Due: PRF for each paper
Tues Nov 28 Durkheim, back to an early voice
Read: Durkheim, 188-93
Booth, ch 15 “Introductions and Conclusions”
Thurs Nov 30 No Class – Thanksgiving Break
Tues Dec 2: Share interpretation finds
Come prepared to discuss your own paper and those of your peers
Thurs Dec 4 What is Ritual Theory?
Bring: RIRS
Final Papers due Tuesday, December 9th at