Harvey Whitehouse|Jonathan A. Lanman
The Ties That Bind Us
Macquarie University|University of Oxford|Queen's University Belfast|Macquarie University|University of Oxford|Queen's University Belfast
social scientists endorse version claim participating collective rituals promotes social cohesionthe systematic testing evaluation claim however prevented lack precision regarding nature ritual social cohesion well lack integration theories findings social evolutionary sciencesby directly addressing challenges argue systematic investigation evaluation claim ritual promotes social cohesion achievablewe present general testable theory relationship ritual cohesion cooperation precisely connects particular elements ritual causal opacity emotional arousal two particular forms social cohesion group identification identity fusionfurther ground theory evolutionary account particular modes ritual practice would adaptive societies particular resourceacquisition strategiesin setting conceptual framework report numerous ongoing investigations test hypotheses data controlled psychological experiments well ethnographic archaeological historical recordssocial scientists long appreciated collective rituals serve bind groups togetherthe fourteenthcentury scholar ibn khaldu n referred ab yah roughly translated arabic means social cohesion solidarity ibn khaldu n 1958turchin 2006khaldu n believed ab yah rooted kinship could extended tribes nations sharing ritual ideology view anticipates general level key arguments developed herepioneers social theory nineteenth century similarly accorded ritual pride place among various cultural practices promote camaraderie coalition formation eg durkheim 1995durkheim 1912frazer 1922fustel de coulanges 1980robertsonsmith 1889this theme runs important works social cultural anthropology twentieth century amply illustrating view rituals bolster social ordera particularly influential idea social function rituals rejuvenate commitment collective goals ensure acquiescence group deference figures authority kertzer 1988