Interaction Ritual Research Articles

Care in an opioid substitution therapy daycentre.

Care in an opioid substitution therapy daycentre.

The Status of the Surveilled: Hyper Surveillance and Status Attainment among Gangs

Abstract Using a case study of Latino gangs in Chicago over a 15-year period and original data compiled from gang cassette mixtapes, CDs, and DVDs, this research analyzes highly ritualized interactions in public media to investigate how status rituals change over time. Specifically, we focus on how factors external to the gang space, such as hyper-surveillance and enhanced policing techniques, influence status attainment in gangs. To date, research on hyper-surveillance focuses on justice system avoidance and crime rates in hot spots, but largely unaddressed are the consequences on the culture of urban gangs. We find that gangs have normalized and incorporated hyper-surveillance into their interaction rituals. Rather than avoidance, increased surveillance is associated with elevated status both at the individual and gang levels. In addition, due to intensified policing practices, even simple loitering on street corners is now associated with elevated status because of the threat of discovery and sanction. These new status attainment methods are encompassed in what we term the “status of the surveilled.” These results shed light on unique, unintended consequences of hyper-surveillance and enhanced policing in urban areas, as well as how they are incorporated into group processes related to status attainment within the urban street gang.

Role of Rituals in Strengthening Community Bonds in Netherlands

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the role of rituals in strengthening community bonds in Netherlands. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: In the Netherlands, rituals play a significant role in strengthening community bonds by fostering social cohesion and a shared sense of identity. Events such as Carnival serve as communal celebrations where individuals engage in collective activities, reinforcing social ties and cultural continuity. These rituals often involve role reversals and symbolic acts that allow participants to step outside their daily roles, promoting unity and mutual understanding. Such practices not only preserve cultural heritage but also adapt to contemporary contexts, ensuring their relevance and continued impact on community cohesion. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social solidarity theory, interaction ritual chains theory & costly signaling theory may be used to anchor future studies on role of rituals in strengthening community bonds in Netherlands. Community leaders and organizers should create rituals that are accessible and meaningful to all members, regardless of their backgrounds. Policymakers should fund and promote programs that encourage the preservation and adaptation of traditional rituals, as well as the creation of new ones, to strengthen community ties.

Rituals of resentment: How dark emotional energy fuels incel identity and solidarity

The incel community presents an intriguing case within social movement studies, marked by a collective sense of victimhood, a negative collective identity, and a self-deprecating view that starkly contrasts with the positive self-image and objectives typical of most social movements. This discrepancy raises questions about what motivates members to continually engage with the community. This study conducts online observations and discourse analysis to offer an in-depth examination of the community's interaction patterns, discursive practices, and ideological beliefs. Using Randall Collins’ Interaction Ritual Chain framework, the analysis uncovers a paradoxical emotional landscape, challenging traditional models of social interactions and emotional energy as described in his framework. Contrary to the anticipated positive emotional outcomes from successful interaction rituals, incels predominantly display negative emotional expressions, which are transformed into discursive symbols fundamental to group identity. This dynamic is especially evident in discussions of suicide, where members frequently and actively encourage each other to take their own lives. The study elaborates on Collins’ theory by proposing the concept of “dark emotional energy” to elucidate the dynamics that not only perpetuate harmful group dynamics but also bolster a collective sense of belonging, providing insights into the complex mechanisms through which destructive ideologies are maintained within online communities.

THE INFLUENCE OF DIGITALIZATION ON RELIGIOUS IDENTITY: SOCIO-POLITICAL CONTEXT

This study aims to explore the process of religious identity formation in the context of increasing digitalization and changes in the socio-political environment. The findings show a shift in religious authority structures; the traditional hierarchies are being replaced by new decentralized digital networks and user-generated content. From the present study, it becomes clear that social media and other digital communication tools help form hybrid religious identities, combining traditional religious practices and the new digital culture. Three ways in which digitalization affects religious identity are through virtual community formation, algorithmic content curation and interactive ritual practices. The study also examines how socio-political factors, such as the state regulation of digital spaces and content, influence the digital expression of religious identity. The comparison of cultures reveals different trends in the adoption of digital religious practices in various political systems and cultural environments. Quantitative and qualitative methods, including analysis, synthesis, historical-formal methods and generalization, were used in this study to analyze the relationship between digital technologies and religious identity formation. The study analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of Internet-mediated religious practices in various churches while making specific reference to the Republic of Kazakhstan. Thus, the results show how the development of technology influences modern religious identity and interpersonal religious relations and, therefore, contributes to the discussion of digital religion and social change.

Order and Potentiality in Interaction Ritual Theory

Interaction ritual theory is one of the most important contributions of micro-sociological theory, tying together the production of local order and actors’ ongoing projects. Although Goffman replaced the “social” order of classical anthropology with an endogenous “interaction” order, such theory conceives ritual as reflecting and enacting an existing structure. Drawing on recent interactionist work and developments in ritual theory, we complement this understanding of ritual with an account of potentiality. Interaction rituals undoubtedly sacralize the self that is presented in interaction and defend the interaction order within which such selves are enmeshed, yet they simultaneously open up potential avenues for transformation of selves and relationships. Ritual action is strewn with moments in which the world appears not as it is but as it could be: a subjunctive “what if” of social life. We show how focusing on the interplay between order and potentiality in interaction ritual provides a more precise way to understand interaction and new ways to approach forms of interactional inequality.

Stages and causes of the evolution of language and consciousness: A theoretical reconstruction.

Stages and causes of the evolution of language and consciousness: A theoretical reconstruction.

Offering food and alcohol in Chinese and English: a contrastive pragmatic perspective

Abstract In this paper, we compare conventions of offering food and alcohol in Chinese and English. We define offering as an interaction ritual because in many linguacultures, food and drink are offered by following certain conventions, the observing of which is a ritually sacred duty for the host. Foreign residents in China are often irritated by Chinese conventions of offering food and drink. We try to explain such irritations by investigating how Chinese and ‘Western’ offering conventions differ from one another. Our framework brings together speech acts and interaction ritual theory. We first present relevant experiences of English-speaking foreigners living in China. We then conduct a contrastive pragmatic study of English and Chinese food and alcohol offering conventions, followed by an interpretation of the irritations reported by our panel of foreigners through our contrastive outcomes.

Offering gifts in Chinese: An interaction ritual approach

Offering gifts in Chinese: An interaction ritual approach

Emulating Police Interaction Ritual in Cyberspace: Apparent Challenge in Policing the Internet

Emulating Police Interaction Ritual in Cyberspace: Apparent Challenge in Policing the Internet

“I Should Pay:” Interaction Ritual Presentation in PK Live Streaming

This study examines the phenomenon of “PK Live streaming” on Douyin, a leading Chinese social platform for short‐form content. Through participant observation and in‐depth interviews, the study explores the underlying motivations that drive users to participate fervently in PK Live streaming. Notable for its direct format, heightened emotional intensity and symbolic components, PK Live streaming has generated significant financial gains. The results of the study highlight the important role of interaction rituals in shaping user behavior during PK Live streaming sessions. This analysis elucidates how the strategic deployment of interaction rituals in PK Live streaming systematically engages users, capturing their attention and driving platform success.

Rereading art workshops as an interaction ritual for knowledge formation and artists’ development

Rereading art workshops as an interaction ritual for knowledge formation and artists’ development

Making and transcending boundaries: the effect of ritual on nationalism

In explaining national identity as an indicator of subjective belonging to the nation-state, researchers have examined factors such as occupational structure, economic discrimination, competition, and political recognition. However, the influence of cultural factors has often been neglected. By investigating the moderating effect of Shia and Sunni rituals on national identification, I find that the nature of rituals significantly influences the strength of national identity among subordinate ethnic groups. In Shia culture, the solidarity generated through ritual practices extends into national identity, fostering the formation of a confessional supra-identity. In contrast, rituals centered on personal piety in Sunni Islam do not produce the same effect. I propose a theory of interethnic solidarity based on ritual processes. A qualitative analysis of the cases of Turkey and Iran shows that in Turkey, the absence of cross-ethnic ties forged through less intense rituals leads to weaker national identity among Sunni Kurds and higher perceived ethnic discrimination. In Iran, however, the frequent practice of interactive rituals that transcend ethnic boundaries strengthens national identity among Shia ethnic minorities and reduces perceived ethnic discrimination. This research underscores how communal, intensive rituals play a key role in explaining variations in national identification.

Harnessing computational techniques to analyze and enhance fandom engagement through interaction ritual chains

Abstract. This study explores the application of Interaction Ritual Chains (IRC) theory and computational techniques to analyze and enhance fandom engagement within the Chinese Australian community. By integrating sentiment analysis, social network analysis, and gender-based language analysis, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of how emotional energy, shared focus, and bodily synchronization contribute to fan interactions. We employ a predictive mathematical model to quantify these IRC components and their impact on engagement, leveraging data mining, natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning. The findings reveal the dynamics of fan behavior and offer insights into personalized content recommendations, gamification, and virtual reality experiences to foster deeper emotional bonds and sustained engagement. This study bridges the gap between theoretical frameworks and practical applications, providing a robust foundation for future research on digital fandoms.

Cultural Practice, Artistic Expression and Online Interaction in the Context of Contemporary Chinese Patriotism: A Case Study of Awakening Lion (醒·狮)

ABSTRACT Limited research has addressed how drama balances censorship and commercial gain with political correctness and profitability. By applying interaction ritual chains theory and digital ethnography, this article examines how audiences of Awakening Lion generate emotional energy, enhance national spirit and patriotism, and spill over these energies into commercial consumption through online interactions. We argue that Awakening Lion uses intangible cultural heritage and collective memory to strengthen cultural approval and national identity among audiences. The shared identities and moral beliefs fostered by emotional energy further promote the nation's aesthetic and commercial potential.

The victims' shoes trope and emerging solidarity in political protest

AbstractBy providing an overview of the rich and surprising ways in which the victims' shoes trope becomes utilised in political protests as the focus of interaction ritual chains, this article elaborates on the three distinct ways through which moral communities of solidarity position themselves. Firstly, moral communities are often formed around aspects of large‐scale atrocities such as commemoration, victimhood and past injustices that, I argue, strengthen nationalist sentiments. The second type of moral communities of solidarity are those that demand ‘rights’ and claim ‘duties’ for promoting particular sectoral agendas. In the third type, the shoes serve to build solidarities that are future‐oriented and aim at promoting universal human rights. By using Goffman's Frame Theory and Collins' Interaction Ritual Chain Theory, this article analyses protests from around the world in which the victims' shoes trope has been utilised to tackle a wide range of subjects—gun and domestic violence, unemployment, Covid‐19 policies, institutional abuse, road safety, commemorations, antiwar and climate protests and more.

Elites and ordinariness in cross-status encounters: Adding Goffman's ritual interaction order to sociological interpretations

Elites and higher-class people often downplay – even conceal – their status when interacting with people of lower class/status than themselves. This finding has been reported from several countries in the Global North. It is also shown in research from disparate academic fields and disciplines: the sociology of class, psychology, cognitive decision-making, and microsociology. This paper reviews and synthesises the literature on elites and high-status people who downplay social differences in cross-status social interaction. It makes two main contributions: First, I show that the phenomenon is more widespread transnationally than especially Nordic researchers have assumed. The second contribution comes from tracing the theoretical interpretations in the research. I notice tendencies of an individual – structure dualism in some strands of research, with the relevant analytical levels being the broader moral repertoires and predispositions. Other strands of research suffer from overly individualist interpretations. I argue that what is missing in most current research on cross-status interaction, is an adequate theoretical grasp of the social situation. I discuss how the study of cross-status interaction can be fertilised by the classical microsociological idea of situations’ existence in themselves, a social domain that cannot be reduced to dispositions or broader culture. I engage here especially Erving Goffman's ritual interaction order. From this vantage point, I also highlight situational variation, something attended to by few studies of cross-status interaction.

Playing to Collaborate: Using Cooperative Board Games to Experience and Reflect on Collaboration in Upper Secondary Education

There is a growing interest among researchers in using board games for supporting learning in school contexts. Co-op board games is a relatively new and promising type of games, which seems well-suited for improving students’ collaboration skills. In this paper, we explore how two groups of Danish high school students interact when playing two different co-op games, The Mind and Forbidden Island, and how they reflect upon their shared game experiences. The data collection is based on video observations of group interaction and student interviews, which use stimulated video recall. In this way, we are able not only to describe the students’ perceived outcomes of the gaming activities, but also their in-game practices. Our data analysis is informed by microsociological perspectives (Goffman and Collins), which are used to map the group interaction rituals and social norms of the students’ gaming encounters. Based on the data analysis, we identify two analytical themes, which concern the students’ use of verbal and non-verbal communication practices as well as their socialisation processes. The findings suggest that co-op games may be used as a valuable educational tool for qualifying high school students’ collaboration skills as well as strengthening their group relations. The students especially valued playing The Mind, which they tried playing for multiple game rounds. Based on these findings, we discuss recommendations for the further use and study of co-op board games in educational settings.

Fans and Friendships: The Power of Live Concerts among Chinese Young Adults

This qualitative study explores the concert-going experiences of Chinese young adults, focusing on the role of parasocial relationships and interactive ritual chains in shaping their emotional engagement and social interactions. Through in-depth interviews with nine participants, the research reveals how social media fosters parasocial relationships, enhancing fans’ emotional connections with pop stars and motivating concert attendance. The study also examines the ritual of exchanging souvenirs, which strengthens communal bonds and distinguishes true fans through their non-commercial exchanges. The findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted appeal of live pop music concerts.

Research on the International Communication Effect of “Genshin Impact” on YouTube From the Perspective of Interaction Ritual Chain Theory

Research on the International Communication Effect of “Genshin Impact” on YouTube From the Perspective of Interaction Ritual Chain Theory