The American Ritual Tapestry


Book Description

American rituals are vital to the creation and renewal of cultural meanings and rules for social interaction. These rituals are rooted in tradition yet are rapidly changing: a contradiction of hyper-modern society. This phenomenon was first explored by Professor Deegan in her 1989 study American Ritual Dramas. The theory examines both participatory rituals and mass-media rituals to show how everyday people become attached to and alienated from other rituals. Elaborating on the critical dramaturgy theory, the essays in this collection show how patterns can be changed to create a more emancipatory and celebratory society. The topics covered in the collection include an analysis of Santa Claus, skinheads, hate crimes, and strip dancing, among other topics. Each contributor has participated in these rituals and many examine related cultural artifacts such as music, brochures, and so forth. As the essays show, postmodern theory has gratly underestimated the power and coherence of these events. An important study for scholars and other researchers involved with sociological theory, social psychology, and popular culture.







The American Ritual Tapestry


Book Description

American rituals are vital to the creation and renewal of cultural meanings and rules for social interaction. These rituals are rooted in tradition yet are rapidly changing: a contradiction of hyper-modern society. This phenomenon was first explored by Professor Deegan in her 1989 study American Ritual Dramas. The theory examines both participatory rituals and mass-media rituals to show how everyday people become attached to and alienated from other rituals. Elaborating on the critical dramaturgy theory, the essays in this collection show how patterns can be changed to create a more emancipatory and celebratory society. The topics covered in the collection include an analysis of Santa Claus, skinheads, hate crimes, and strip dancing, among other topics. Each contributor has participated in these rituals and many examine related cultural artifacts such as music, brochures, and so forth. As the essays show, postmodern theory has gratly underestimated the power and coherence of these events. An important study for scholars and other researchers involved with sociological theory, social psychology, and popular culture.




Tourism, Religion and Spiritual Journeys


Book Description

Religion and spirituality are still among the most common motivations for travel - many major tourism destinations have developed largely as a result of their connections to sacred people, places and events. Providing a comprehensive assessment of the primary issues and concepts related to this intersection of tourism and religion, this revealing book gives a balanced discussion of both the theoretical and applied subjects that destination planners, religious organizations, scholars, and tourism service providers must deal with on a daily basis. Bringing together a distinguished list of contributors, this volume takes a global approach and incorporates substantial empirical cases from Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, New Ageism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and the spiritual philosophies of East Asia. On a conceptual level, it considers, amongst other topics: contested heritage the pilgrim-tourist dichotomy secularization of pilgrimage experiences religious humanism educational aspects of religious tourism commodification of religious icons and services. A vibrant collection of essays, this outstanding book discusses many important practices, paradigms, and problems that are currently being examined and debated. It raises an array of significant and interesting questions and as such is a valuable resource for students, scholars and researchers of tourism, religion and cultural studies.




Harriet Martineau


Book Description

The Essays in this volume explore the work of Harriet Martineau from a sociological perspective, highlighting her theoretical contributions in the areas of the sociology of labor, gender and political economy. The contributors each offer a contextual, theoretical and methodological assessment of her work beginning with the opportunities and challenges of utilizing Martineau pedagogically in the sociology classroom.




Communicating Ethnic and Cultural Identity


Book Description

This intercultural communication text reader brings together the many dimensions of ethnic and cultural identity and shows how they are communicated in everyday life. Introducing and applying key concepts, theories, and approaches--from empirical to ethnographic--a wide variety of essays look at the experiences of African Americans, Asians, Asian Americans, Latino/as, and Native Americans, as well as many cultural groups. The authors also explore issues such as gender, race, class, spirituality, alternative lifestyles, and inter- and intra-ethnic identity. Sites of analysis range from movies and photo albums to beauty salons and Deadhead concerts. Visit our website for sample chapters!




Annie Marion MacLean and the Chicago Schools of Sociology, 1894-1934


Book Description

Although Annie Marion MacLean, teacher, sociologist, and leader, gained international fame as an expert on working women's issues, her significant contributions are overlooked by contemporary scholarship. MacLean was extraordinary by any standard?her level of education; her precedent-setting behaviors, research, methodological innovations, public impact, and writing; her dedication to women's freedom and social justice; and her love for family and friends.MacLean was a vigorous and creative exponent of the forceful spirit of Chicago sociologists. As a graduate of the department of sociology at the University of Chicago, MacLean became one of the founders of the discipline. MacLean was an ally and friend to other sociologists in Chicago who were both students and faculty at the university and at another world-class institution, the social settlement Hull-House. She gained fame as an expert on working women, using ideas to expand their options and respond to their need for social justice.Mary Jo Deegan documents the life, accomplishments, and works of this noted scholar. Deegan explores such topics as Annie Marion MacLean and sociology at the University of Chicago and Jane Addams' Hull-House, MacLean and feminist pragmatism, women and the sociology of work and occupations, women's labor unions and the feminist pragmatist welfare state, the sociology of immigration and race relations, and MacLean's legacy to sociology and society. Her inspiring story will be of interest to those exploring the roots of the discipline of sociology.




Consumer Culture in Latin America


Book Description

How can we understand consumption in a region known for its cultural richness and vast inequalities? What do Latin Americans consume, and why? Examining topics from tango and samba to sex workers in Costa Rica, from eating tamales to selling ice in the Andes, and from building and moving houses to buying cell phones, this collection brings together original research on some of the many forms of consumption and consumers that contribute to Latin American cultures and histories. Contributors include sociologists, anthropologists, media and cultural studies scholars, geographers and historians, showcasing diverse approaches to understanding Latin American consumption practices and consumer culture.




Diverse Histories of American Sociology


Book Description

The collection tells the story of early American sociology from the vantage point of women, racial, ethnic, regional, and religious minorities, outsiders, and important representatives of intellectual movements that were not merged into the mainstream of the discipline.




Consumer Culture Theory


Book Description

This volume of Research in Consumer Behavior is made up from a selection of papers from the Eight Consumer Culture Theory Conference and represents the latest research on consumption and consumer culture from scholars around the world.