Handbook of Disaster Ritual

The Handbook of Disaster Ritual presents an overview of relevantliterature, perspectives, methods, concepts, as well as a selection oftopical themes in relation to current disaster rituals. The handbook hasbeen compiled from multi-disciplinary and geographically diverseperspectives and works with broad definitions of the concepts of bothdisaster and ritual. A disaster is defined as an event or situation thatcauses a significant disruption of a society or a group and evokes acollective and/or an individual reaction with expression of mourning, compassion, indignation, protest, call for justice, recovery, reconciliation, and consolation. In this working definition, it is clearthat the impact of a disaster is 'translated ritually'. Disasters bringforth a variety of ritual practices.

The Handbook of Disaster Ritual consists of three parts. After anextensive conceptual and historiographical introduction, Part I presentsseveral perspectives on the study of disasters and disaster rituals. InPart II, a team of international scholars presents nineteen case studiesof various disasters and disaster rituals. Part III addresses variousthemes from the case studies that can be seen as key elements indisaster rituals.