Rite of Passage
 Rite of Passage
 Ceremonies that mark a person’s progress from one
phase to another
 They correspond with important events in human life
 Birth, puberty, mating, old age, death
Rite of Passage
 3 Stage Process
 1. Segregation
 2. Transition
 3. Reintegration
3 Stages of Rite of Passage
 Segregation (Separation)
 Person is separated from rest of society
 Transition
 Person is becoming his or her new self and learning
the new role. Guides, mentors may be available
 Reintegration
 Person is reintegrated into society with a new role
Consequences of Rite of Passage
 Produce Cognitive Dissonance in the Individual
 Produces conformity among new members
 Helps in the transition to full group membership
 Links individuals to the community
 Initiates who feel more rewarded show stronger group
identity
Examples: Rites of Passage
 Birth
 Adulthood
 Marriage: ex. Bride Kidnapping
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKAusMNTNnk
 Death
Rite of Passage and Ritual
Ritual Analysis
Ritual
 Sequence of activities involving gestures, words, and
objects, designed to influence forces on behalf of those
who practice it.
Manifest Function of Rituals
 Intended and recognized consequence
 Consequences that people observe and expect
 Manifest Function of Rain Dance: produce rain
Latent Function of Rituals
 Unintended and unrecognized consequence
 Not explicitly stated
 Latent Function of Rain Dance: Reinforces group
identity by providing a regular opportunity for
members of group to meet and engage in a common
activity.
Can rituals be dysfunctional?
 Dysfunctions can be either manifest or latent
 Dysfunctions have a negative effect on society
 Manifest Dysfunction of a festivity: Disruption of
transportation and excessive production of garbage.
Symbolism in Ritual
 Symbol: anything that represents something else.
 What symbolisms are described in this ritual? What do
these symbols represent?
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embed
ded&v=HtE7eFcKvvs
Ritual Analysis in Sports
 Can you find this ritual’s …….?
 Manifest Function
 Latent Function
 Symbolisms
 Is it possible that this ritual could be dysfunctional in
some way?
 Chicago Bulls Players’ Introduction
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embed
ded&v=rYFlzJyxWlw
One More Time: Ritual Analysis in Sports
 Can you find this ritual’s …….?
 Manifest Function
 Latent Function
 Symbolisms
 Is it possible that this ritual could be dysfunctional in
some way?
 All Blacks’ Haka: New Zealand Pre-Game tradition
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofj3dCKyI38
Ritual Analysis
 Who exercises control in rituals?
 Do rituals exercise control upon their participants or do
the participants have control over the ritual?
 Do the participants have control over this particular
ritual?
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embed
ded&v=hGFDF96hwTE
Rites of Passage and the Sacred
Human Beings, Rituals and Religion
Questions to Think About
 What is religion?
 What is the role of religion in society today?
 What do you think will be the role of religion in the
future?
Religion
 Religion: System of roles and norms organized around
the sacred, binding people in social groups.
 According to Sociology, Religion is a social creation
 Things are sacred if people define it as sacred
 Religion is related to a culture’s worldview: beliefs
regarding the natural and supernatural, and the manner
of perceiving and interpreting the world.
 How does religion affect our worldview? Provide an
example
The Sacred and the Profane
Sacred (Religious)
Profane (Secular)
 Supernatural world
 Ordinary world
 Inspires awe, respect,
 Commonplace, familiar
reverence
Animism
 Most primitive form of religion
 Beliefs in a supernatural power based on the
natural world
 Animals, plants, mountains, etc. contain spirits
 Might have been way to understand dreams and other
phenomena
Forms of Animism
Shamanism
 Spirits communicate
with one person of the
group (shaman).
Shamanism Video
 http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=xTxlaNhA6K4
 Describe both rituals
 Magic: Attempt to
understand, experience
and influence the world
using rituals, symbols,
and language
performed by the
Chinese shaman.
 Is the reporter biased
towards shamanism?
Forms of Animism: Totemism
 Belief in spiritual connection or kinship between
humans and animals or plants.
 Totem (spirit-being) is a symbol representing a family
or clan.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXCdcfxi9vQ
Theism: belief in a god or gods
Monotheism
Polytheism
 Belief in one God
 Belief in a number of
 Judaism, Christianity,
gods
 Hinduism
 Usually powerful gods
over lesser gods
 Lesser gods have
different spheres of
influence
Islam
 Organizational structure
 Sacred Writings
 Organized priesthood
Ethicalism
 Idea that moral principles have a sacred quality
 Based on truth, honor, tolerance
 Buddhism, Confucianism, Shinto
 Goal: reach highest human potential
Ethicalism – Ex. Confucianism
The master said, "A young man's duty is to behave well to his parents
at home and to his elders abroad, to be cautious in giving promises
and punctual in keeping them, to have kindly feelings towards
everyone, but seek the intimacy of the Good.“
The master said, "Govern the people by regulations, keep order
among them by chastisements, and they will flee from you, and lose
all self-respect. Govern them by moral force, keep order among
them by ritual, and they will keep their self-respect and come to
you of their own accord."
Document-Based Questions:
1. How did Confucius feel people should behave toward others?
2. What might Confucius think about criminal laws and prisons in the modern
world?
3. On a personal level, do you respond better to strict rules regarding behavior, or
to good examples of proper behavior?
4 Different Religious Bodies
 Ecclesiae
 Denominations
 Cults
 Sects
Ecclesia
 State Church
 Large and all-encompassing religious body that tolerates no religious
competition.
 Often highly connected to the economic market and political system of
a society.
 Officials are highly trained and have a lot of power
 Fundamentalism: strict adherence to the religion’s rules and practices.
Belief that religion should be the primary force in one’s life.
Denomination
 Exist in societies where churches do not hold a
religious monopoly- they are one religion among
many.
 More tolerant of other religions, acknowledging rights
of other religions.
 Ex. Religions in the United States.
Sect
 Relatively small religious organization that typically
has split off from a denomination because of
differences concerning beliefs.
 Sects are found in all religions.
 It is a subjective term and can be thought off as
branches of different religions.
Cults
 New religious group whose beliefs and practices differ
a lot form those of society’s major religions
 Group advocates for belief in something new
 Followers are usually disillusioned by traditional
religions. Likely to have a charismatic leader
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML2Oa4Oigvo
Functions of Religion
 1.Social Solidarity
 Strengthens bond between people and creates sense
of community
 Creates a sense of belonging
 Makes you feel less alone in the world
 Provides support and purpose
Functions of Religion
 2. Social Control
 Encourages conformity to norms
 Keeps social order by making it divine
 Rituals like confession serve as emotional release
and contribute to unity of the group
Functions of Religion
 3. Emotional Support
 Helps endure disappointment and suffering
 Gives hope in the worst of times.
 Provides answers for ultimate questions.
 Lessens anxiety and alleviates doubts that may arise
from circumstances beyond our control
Functions of Religion
 Write an example for each of the different
functions of religion we have mentioned
before:
 Social Solidarity
 Social Control
 Emotional Support
Conflict Theory Perspective
Religion as the “Opium of the People”
 Karl Marx
 Faith in the promise of rewards in the afterlife
prevent people from seeking out the sources of their
hardships and from taking action to better their lives.
 Sport acts as a distraction for people not to see the
inequality among social classes.
 It distracts people from their suffering.