The Problem of Ritual Efficacy (Oxford Ritual Studies) - Hardcover
Book 1 of 16: Oxford Ritual Studies
Synopsis
How do rituals work? Although this is one of the first questions that people everywhere ask about rituals, little has been written explicitly on the topic. In The Problem of Ritual Efficacy, nine scholars address this issue, ranging across the fields of history, anthropology, medicine, and biblical studies.
For "modern" people, the very notion of ritual efficacy is suspicious because rituals are widely thought of as merely symbolic or expressive, so that - by definition - they cannot be efficacious. Nevertheless people in many cultures assume that rituals do indeed "work," and when we take a closer look at who makes claims for ritual efficacy (and who disputes such claims), we learn a great deal about the social and historical contexts of such debates. Moving from the pre-modern era-in which the notion of ritual efficacy was not particularly controversial-into the skeptical present, the authors address a set of debates between positivists, natural scientists, and religious skeptics on the one side, and interpretive social scientists, phenomenologists, and religious believers on the other. Some contributors advance a particular theory of ritual efficacy while others ask whether the question makes any sense at all.
This path-breaking interdisciplinary collection will be of interest to readers in anthropology, history, religious studies, humanities and the social sciences broadly defined, and makes an important contribution to the larger conversation about what ritual does and why it matters to think about such things.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
For more information on the Oxford Ritual Studies Series, visit http://ritualstudies.com
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Search results for The Problem of Ritual Efficacy (Oxford Ritual Studies)
Stock Image
The Problem of Ritual Efficacy (Oxford Ritual Studies Series)
Seller: Sell Books, Elland, YORKS, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Most of our very good books have only minor imperfections such as shelf wear consistent with a new book that's sat on a bookshop shelf for a year or two. Occasionally we may miss other minor imperfections as we have to grade books at speed. Our books are dispatched from a Yorkshire former cotton mill. We list via barcode/ISBN so please note that the images are stock images and may not be the exact copy you receive, furthermore the details about edition and year might not be accurate as many publishers reuse the same ISBN for multiple editions and as we simply scan a barcode or enter an ISBN we do not check the validity of the edition data when listing. If you're looking for an exact edition please don't order (at least not without checking with us first, although we don't always have time to check). We aim to dispatch prompty, the service used will depend on order value and book size. We can ship to most countries, see our shipping policies. Payment is via Abe only. Seller Inventory # L-BOS00953-RAG-20250725-VG
Buy Used
US$ 35.98
US$ 16.43 shipping
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Quantity: 1 available
Seller Image
Problem of Ritual Efficacy
Seller: GreatBookPrices, Columbia, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 6514631-n
Stock Image
Ritual Efficacy
Print on DemandSeller: PBShop.store US, Wood Dale, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
HRD. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. THIS BOOK IS PRINTED ON DEMAND. Established seller since 2000. Seller Inventory # L1-9780195394405
Seller Image
Problem of Ritual Efficacy
Published by
Oxford University Press, 2010
ISBN 10: 0195394402
ISBN 13: 9780195394405
Used
Hardcover
Seller: GreatBookPrices, Columbia, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: As New. Unread book in perfect condition. Seller Inventory # 6514631
Stock Image
Ritual Efficacy
Print on DemandSeller: PBShop.store UK, Fairford, GLOS, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
HRD. Condition: New. New Book. Delivered from our UK warehouse in 4 to 14 business days. THIS BOOK IS PRINTED ON DEMAND. Established seller since 2000. Seller Inventory # L1-9780195394405
Buy New
US$ 78.79
US$ 5.63 shipping
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Quantity: Over 20 available
Seller Image
The Problem of Ritual Efficacy
Published by
Oxford University Press Inc, US, 2010
ISBN 10: 0195394402
ISBN 13: 9780195394405
New
Hardcover
Seller: Rarewaves.com USA, London, LONDO, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardback. Condition: New. Rituals transform citizens into presidents and princesses into queens. They transform sick persons into healthy ones, and public space into prohibited sanctuary. Shamanic rituals heal, legal rituals bind, political rituals ratify, and religious rituals sanctify. But how exactly do they accomplish these things? How do rituals work? This is the question of ritual efficacy, and although it is one of the very first questions that people everywhere ask of rituals, surprisingly little has been written on the topic. In fact, this collection of 10 contributed essays is the first to explicitly address the question of ritual efficacy. The authors do not aspire to answer the question 'how do rituals work?' in a simplistic fashion, but rather to show how complex the question is. While some contributors do indeed advance a particular theory of ritual efficacy, others ask whether the question makes any sense at all, and most show how complex it is by referring to the sociocultural environment in which it is posed, since the answer depends on who is asking the question, and what criteria they use to evaluate the efficacy of ritual. In his introduction, William Sax emphasizes that the very notion of ritual efficacy is a suspicious one because, according to a widespread 'modern' and 'scientific' viewpoint, rituals are merely expressive, and therefore cannot be efficacious. Rituals are thought of as superficial, 'merely symbolic,' and certainly not effective. Nevertheless many people insist that rituals 'work,' and the various positions taken on the question tell us a great deal about the social and historical background of the people involved. One essay, for example, illuminates a dispute between 'materialist' and 'enlightenment' Catholics in Ecuador, with the former affirming the notion of ritual efficacy and the latter doubting it. In other essays, contributors address instances in which orthodox religious figures (mullahs, church authorities, and even scientific positivists) discount the efficacy of rituals. In several of the essays, 'modern' people are suspicious of rituals and tend to deny their efficacy, confirming the theme highlighted in Sax's introduction. Seller Inventory # LU-9780195394405
Buy New
US$ 84.55
Free Shipping
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Quantity: Over 20 available
Stock Image
The Problem of Ritual Efficacy (Oxford Ritual Studies)
Seller: Ria Christie Collections, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: New. In. Seller Inventory # ria9780195394405_new
Buy New
US$ 78.21
US$ 16.20 shipping
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Quantity: Over 20 available
Stock Image
The Problem of Ritual Efficacy (eng)
Print on DemandSeller: Brook Bookstore On Demand, Napoli, NA, Italy
Seller rating 3 out of 5 stars
Condition: new. Questo è un articolo print on demand. Seller Inventory # c262e368b753c4e759b26dbd0341ff19
Buy New
US$ 91.34
US$ 6.44 shipping
Ships from Italy to U.S.A.
Ships from Italy to U.S.A.
Quantity: Over 20 available
Seller Image
Problem of Ritual Efficacy
Seller: GreatBookPricesUK, Woodford Green, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 6514631-n
Buy New
US$ 78.20
US$ 20.29 shipping
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Quantity: Over 20 available
Stock Image
The Problem of Ritual Efficacy (Oxford Ritual Studies Series)
Seller: Kennys Bookshop and Art Galleries Ltd., Galway, GY, Ireland
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: New. Editor(s): Sax, William S.; Quack, Johannes; Weinhold, Jan. Series: Oxford Ritual Studies. Num Pages: 208 pages, Illustrations. BIC Classification: HRCF; HRCR. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational; (UP) Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly; (UU) Undergraduate. Dimension: 243 x 160 x 15. Weight in Grams: 416. . 2010. Illustrated. hardcover. . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780195394405
Buy New
US$ 92.79
US$ 12.30 shipping
Ships from Ireland to U.S.A.
Ships from Ireland to U.S.A.
Quantity: Over 20 available