Module Code - Title:
MD6041
-
INTRODUCTION TO RITUAL STUDIES
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
The purpose of this module is to equip students with a knowledge of the emergence and development of ritual studies as an interdisciplinary discourse drawing on anthropology, sociology, religious studies, ethnomusicology /ethnochoreology and performance studies. It also familiarises students with a variety of theoretical approaches to ritual including evolutionary, structural-functionalist, cultural-symbolist and performative understandings. This is grounded with reference to several case studies of ritual practice drawn from historical and cross-cultural practices.
Syllabus:
This module provides an introduction to the emergence and development of ritual studies as an interdisciplinary discourse drawing on anthropology, sociology, religious studies, ethnomusicology /ethnochoreology and performance studies. It introduces studies to evolutionary, structural-functionalist, cultural-symbolist and performative theories of ritual. It also discusses a number of ritual case studies including historical and cross-cultural examples of ritual practice. The documentation of live rituals through ethnographic approaches including participant-observation will also be introduced.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
1. Demonstrate and articulate a knowledge of key texts in the historical development of ritual studies
2. Apply theories and methods from ritual ethnography to the study of living ritual practices in a creative and relevant manner
3. Interrogate the appropriateness of diverse ritual theoretical approaches to particular ritual traditions and practices
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
1. Resond to ethical issues arising from an engagement with ritual communities in a responsible manner
2. Demonstrate a reflexive awareness of issues arising from participant observation with ritual communities
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
Perform aspects of ritual encounter (eg. ritual repertoire) within specified performative contexts
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
This module will include a combination of seminar presentations and field observation. Seminar presentations will combine theoretical discussion with case study presentations drawn from historical and cross-cultural practices. It will also include a field visit to a ritual performance and opportunities to include relevant performances (eg. lunch-time performances at the Irish World Academy) as sites for participant-observation. Recent scholarship on the centrality of performance to our understanding of ritual (eg. Tomlinson, 2014, Ritual Textuality: Pattern and Motion in Performance, Oxford University Press) is of particular relevance to students of performance and students will be encouraged to draw on their creativity and proactivity in performance to understand and observe ritual performances in a responsible and articulate manner.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
Tomlinson, M. (2014)
Ritual Textuality:
Pattern and Motion in Performance
, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Eliade, M. trans. P. Mairet (1991)
Images and Symbols (1952)
, New Jersey: Princeton
Durkheim, E. trans. Carol Cussen (2001)
The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912)
, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Turner, V. (1969)
The Ritual Process" Structure and Anti-Structure
, New York: Aldine de Gruyter
Schechner, R. (1993)
The Future of Ritual
, London and New York: Routledge
Other Relevant Texts:
Bell, C. (2009)
Ritual: Perspectives and Dimensions. Revised edition
, Oxford University Press
Grimes, R. (2010)
Beginnings in Ritual Studies
, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 3rd Reprint edition
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
MARCSOTFA - RITUAL CHANT AND SONG
MAETCHTFA - ETHNOCHOREOLOGY
MAETMUTFA - ETHNOMUSICOLOGY
MAFEARTFA - FESTIVE ARTS
MAITMPTFA - IRISH TRADITIONAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Autumn
Module Leader:
Helen.Phelan@ul.ie