World Cultures: Rituals

Retribution

Punishing a lawbreaker to serve society's sense of justice and to satisfy the victims' desire for revenge.

specific deterrence

Punishment inflicted on criminals to discourage them from committing future crimes

general deterrence

punishment of criminals that is intended to be an example to the general public and to discourage the commission of offenses

(crime) prevention

measures taken to reduce the opportunity for crime commission by individuals predisposed to such behavior (CCTV)

Rehabilitation

The process of changing or reforming a criminal through socialization--making them "better human beings" through education/therapy etc.

Principle of Normality

Norway's incarceration policy of making prison seem less like a standard jail cell and more like ordinary life.

Principle of Humanity

Norway's incarceration policy of always treating inmates with respect and dignity (rather than brutalize them as a reminder of their previous mistakes)

dynamic security

Norway's incarceration policy of regular interaction between prisoners and correctional officers that promotes problem-solving, information sharing, and rapport building.

Emphasis on reintegration

Norway's incarceration policy of training correctional officers to know the process of coming back into free society and to help the inmate navigate it.

ritual paradox

The phenomenon where people ascribe great importance to rituals but cannot explain WHY they are important or their significance.

Bronislaw Manilowski

Psychologist who proved that performing rituals lowered people’s anxieties and bonded to others who were involved in the same rituals.

Dimitris Xygalatas

Psychologist who argues that one of the main functions of our brains is to PREDICT what will happen next. Also when we collectively participate in rituals our heart rates synchronize, and that we prefer elements/objects to be “ritualized.”

Alison Brooks

Psychologist who discovered that people who perform rituals are more likely to improve on the task they are attempting to complete.

Repetition

One of Xygalatas core aspects of rituals--that they “work” only when they are done numerous times.

Redundancy

One of Xygalatas core aspects of rituals--that they “work” only when they are done beyond what is ordinarily required to accomplish a task.

Rigidity

One of Xygalatas core aspects of rituals--that they “work” only when they are done with specific guidelines.

Voodoo

A religious cult practiced in the Caribbean and the southern US, combining elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and religious rites, and characterized by sorcery and spirit possession. Functionally it works as a type of secret police force to keep citizens obedient to cultural norms.

zombification (and its purpose in Haiti today)

a sanctum imposed by recognized spiritual authorities, as a form of punishment for criminals where the offender is drugged and then "resurrected" to serve as a slave of the voodoo priest.

Common Grace

The grace of God given to people without favoritism that is not part of salvation. (Police officers, sun light, rain)

"Pleading Purity"

David Smith's category of learning from the stranger where we assume that contamination is "out there" rather than within our own culture.

"Settle for Tourism"

David Smith's category of learning from the stranger where we travel in the world, but never get the out of the cultivate bubble where everyone speaks our language, experiences are catered toward commercialism and in general minimizes our experience with another different culture.

"Trusting Technology"

David Smith's category of learning from the stranger where we assume that new forms of communication (email, translator apps) will allow humans to share meaning without error.

"Leaving it to the Experts"

David Smith's category of learning from the stranger where we mistakenly assume that people who have significant education and experience in one area of life will be equally as competent in intercultural affairs.

John Durham Peters

Argues that the word "communication evokes a utopia where nothing is misunderstood, hearts are open, and expression is uninhibited." In reality he thinks that just because people are speaking the same language it does not mean that meaning is being shared.

lingua franca

A language mutually understood and commonly used in trade by people who have different native languages

Philip Jenkins "typical" Christian

A Nigerian woman in a village or a poor Brazilian women living in a favela.

David Crystal

A linguist who believes that the reason why a language is widely used is because of the (military) power of the people who speak it.

ritual

A periodic invitation by your society, typically religious, to get people together for an event that marks an occasion.

saturnalia

an ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December. The holiday was celebrated with a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves as it was seen as a time of liberty for both slaves and freedmen alike.

Yom Kippur

Jewish Day of Atonement that emphasized fasting and reflecting on one's sins.

Ramadan

An Islamic fast held from sunrise to sunset that is carried out during the month of Ramadan

Awumbuk

Ritual that encompases the feeling of sadness in Papua New Guinea the person in grief has three days to morn and the society with be gentle with them and they don't have to work. On day 3 the person in grief needs to leave a coconut filled with water on the third day that is meant to soak up the sadness. After the third day is over, you are meant to toss the water away.

Birkat Ilanot

A Jewish festival of gratitude for the beginning of spring

"sorry day"

Australian day of apologizing for the theft of Aboriginal children in the 20th century.

concretization of the ideal

The idea that if small (often incremental) areas of life that can be ordered, it will instill hope that more areas of life can be transformed in positive ways.