Instructor:
Whether attending a wedding, a high school graduation, the Lighting of the Lawn, or even just standing in front of our bathroom mirrors in the
morning, part of the way we define ourselves and the communities we inhabit is through the rituals we do. In addition to our own rituals, we live
in a pluralistic global society surrounded by a wealth of other peoples’ rituals, both religious and secular, individual and collective, explicit and
inconspicuous, that bear meaning and are important expressions of their identities. This course takes rituals as a lens into human difference,
asking how can considering our rituals and the rituals of others provide opportunities for deeper knowledge and more meaningful human
interactions? During this course, we will reflect upon how we use rituals to express our identities as members of our families, schools,
communities, and even as citizens of our countries. We will also look at how rituals can serve as tools to create and maintain difference and
hierarchy between individuals and among human groups. Grappling with these issues, we will consider how rituals contribute to our senses of
self, give our lives meaning, and connect us with others.