Revitalization Movements
A.F.C. Wallace
Background
In 1956, Anthony F. C. Wallace published a paper
called "Revitalization Movements" to
describe how cultures change themselves. A
revitalization movement is a "deliberate,
organized, conscious effort by members of a
group to create a new culture," and Wallace
describes at length the processes by which a
revitalization movement takes place.[1]
 Wallace derived his theory from studies of socalled primitive peoples (preliterate and
homogeneous), Wallace believed that his
revitalization model applies to movements as
broad and complex as the rise of Christianity,
Islam, Buddhism, or Wesleyan Methodism.

Theory of Revitalization Movements
Many types of movement, like people movements,
revival movements, cargo cult, social movements, sect
formation
 Described differently by different disciplines
 Wallace searched for a common theory

Revitalization Movements
Anthony F. C. Wallace
American Anthropologist
New Series, Vol. 58, No. 2 (Apr., 1956), pp. 264-281
(article consists of 18 pages)
Published by: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of the
American Anthropological Association
Movements as a Response to…

Social scientists generally agree that revitalization movements
are societal responses to excessive stress. However, several
mutually exclusive theories have been proposed to explain
the generation of a revitalization movement: acculturation
holds that conquest and other forms of hegemony generate
utopian movements; social evolution views revitalization
movements as expressions of empowerment by
disadvantaged classes or groups; and absolute deprivation
posits that dissatisfaction with a low standard of living leads
people to adopt a revolutionary ideology. The most widely
accepted theory, relative deprivation, suggests that
revitalization movements may occur when a significant
proportion of a society finds its status and economic
circumstances trailing those of the rest of society, even if the
dissatisfied group has a relatively high standard of living
according to independent economic measures or in
comparison to its past standard of living.
Definition

A deliberate, organised conscious effort
to construct a more satisfying culture
◦ Must perceive their culture as a system
◦ Must see it as inadequate
◦ Must seek to innovate change
Generally cultures drift, evolve,
axculturate gradually
 Revitalization requires a rapid change, a
rapid shift in Gestalt

1.Stress as Condition
Cultures seek integration that gives
meaning
 In emergency some members will seek to
action to preserve the culture

Mazeways

A mental image of society
Revitalization changes the mazeways
 Discuss: What happens as churches
become more traditional but the culture
keeps changing?
 Revitalization is collective action to
change the mazeways and the “real”
systems

Ways of focusing on new mazeways
Revivalistic: Going back to the old
mazeways
 Millenarian: Going on to the new
Millenum
 Cargo cults – injecting new elements into
the mazeways
 Messianic – New saviour

Failed Revitalization Movements

New denominations form after failure of
revitalisation movments to transform an
old denomination
PHASES OF a Revitalization
Movement




Steady State
Individual Stress
Cultural Disorientation
Period of Revitalization
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

Mazeway reformulation
Communication
Organisation
Adaption
Cultural Transformation
Routinization
New Steady State
Mazeway Reformulation

The role of the Prophet
◦
◦
◦
◦
Builds on existing cultural elements
A moment of insight
Preaching the Vision
Organization of followers behind the prophet
as he and they hear God
4.Adaptation
Opposition
 Adapting the vision to interest groups
 Limiting the impact of opposition

5 Cultural Transformation
As a significant sector of the population
comes to accept the new vision
 Social revitalization occurs
 Cultural change
 Decrease in stress
 Successful social, economic and political
reforms

6. Routinization

Becomes ritualised in culture