Ritual Change and Social Transformation in Migrant Societies

Migration involves change of geographical place, social relations and cultural habits. This volume brings together contributions from an international group of scholars including studies of ritual change and social transformation in Singapore, Germany and the US.
In situations of change, individuals as well as social groups mobilize rituals to reaffirm a sense of identity. Usually thinking of rituals as fixed sets of symbolic behaviour, handed down through generations, migration forces a fresh look at rituals: that they are open to change and adjustment as well as means of social transformation. The authors show the challenge of the transformation of symbolic behaviour for those who experience spatial and social change. They emphasise that ritual change is also common when cultures become intercultural.

Hans-Georg Soeffner is Professor Emeritus at the University of Konstanz and Head of Research Area Interculturality at the Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities (KWI Essen).
Dariuš Zifonun is Professor of Sociology at the University of Marburg.