Rites of Passage

Abstract

Rites of passage are inextricably associated with Arnold van Gennep. Such rites are most closely associated with initiations of various kinds and with major changes in the life cycle. As Van Gennep showed, changes of social status typically comprise ritual acts distinguishable as “rites of separation,” “rites of transition,” and “rites of incorporation.” During the second half of the twentieth century, several anthropologists built on Van Gennep's insights. Focusing particularly on the liminal stage of transition rituals, Turner developed a concept of “communitas,” a social condition in which actors temporarily or permanently stand apart from the dominant institutions of society, sometimes challenging or facilitating change in these. In contrast, other writers (e.g., Bloch, La Fontaine) have shown how rites of passage can be used by dominant groups to maintain or reinforce established political orders.