Catherine Bell's *Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice* is a landmark text that fundamentally shifted how scholars understand ritual. Before Bell, ritual was often treated as a special, exotic category of human behavior, a container for symbolic meanings or a reflection of social structures. It was something to be deciphered, like a code. Bell argues for a different approach. Instead of asking what rituals *mean*, she asks what they *do*. Her core idea is that ritual is a form of practice, a strategic way of acting that produces certain effects in the world, most importantly, the creation of people who are skilled in navigating their social and cultural environment.
This shift from meaning to practice is central to the DEVICES framework. We are interested in how instrumentsâwhether a sacred object, a piece of software, or a social conventionâactively shape our reality. Bell provides a powerful lens for this analysis by showing that the power of any object or idea is not inherent; it is generated through the things we do with it. Ritualization, for Bell, is the process of differentiating some actions from others, imbuing them with a sense of importance and distinction. It's a physical, embodied strategy for creating a world that feels ordered, meaningful, and powerful. By performing these structured actions, we are not just expressing ourselves; we are producing ourselves.
Understanding ritual as a strategic practice allows us to see it everywhere, not just in religious ceremonies but in the mundane routines of our daily lives. The way you make your coffee in the morning, the way a courtroom is organized, the way you interact with your smartphoneâall can be seen as forms of ritualization that produce specific kinds of bodies, dispositions, and power relations. Bell's work invites us to become more aware of these subtle practices and to recognize how they are constantly shaping who we are and what we can do. It gives us the tools to see how the devices that mediate our world are brought to life, and how we, in turn, are brought to life by them.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the difference between "ritual" as a noun and "ritualization" as a strategic practice.
- Analyze how ritualized actions shape bodies, dispositions, and social power.
- Apply the concept of ritualization to everyday routines and technological interactions.
Key Concepts
Ritualization
Catherine Bell argues that scholars should shift their focus from asking "What is ritual?" to "How does ritual work?" She proposes the concept of ritualization, which treats ritual not as a fixed category of special activities, but as a strategic way of acting. Ritualization involves differentiating certain actions from others, giving them a special status and meaning through specific qualities like formalism, traditionalism, and rule-governance. This strategic practice is a fundamental way that social agents navigate and construct their reality.
Within the DEVICES framework, ritualization is a key mechanism for how instruments become powerful mediators of experience. A device, whether a smartphone or a religious sacrament, does not have inherent meaning. Its power is produced through the ritualized practices that surround it. The simple act of unboxing a new Apple product, for instance, is a highly ritualized practice that imbues the device with a sense of novelty, value, and magic. By acting in a ritualized way, we produce a world in which our devices are not just tools, but powerful agents that shape our perceptions and possibilities.
Ritualized Agent
For Bell, the purpose of ritualization is not just to express beliefs or reinforce social structures, but to produce a certain type of person: the ritualized agent. Through the repeated, disciplined performance of ritualized actions, individuals develop specific dispositions, skills, and a practical mastery of their social environment. The body becomes a site of knowledge, trained to act and perceive in ways that are aligned with the values and power structures embedded in the ritual.
This concept directly connects to the DEVICES idea of embodiment. A device becomes truly effective when it is embodiedâwhen its use becomes second nature, shaping our very senses and reflexes. The driver who instinctively hits the brake or the musician whose fingers fly across the fretboard are ritualized agents. Their bodies have been trained through practice to such a degree that the device (the car, the guitar) becomes an extension of themselves. This embodied knowledge is a form of power, enabling the agent to act effectively within a specific, device-mediated world.
Redemptive Hegemony
Bell introduces the idea of redemptive hegemony to describe how ritual practice can both legitimize and subtly challenge dominant power structures. Rituals often appear to be timeless, natural, and authoritative, which helps to secure the existing social order (hegemony). However, because ritual is a practice, it is also a space of potential creativity, resistance, and change. It provides a framework within which agents can negotiate, reinterpret, and even subvert the very structures it seems to uphold.
This dual function is crucial for understanding the role of devices in society. Devices are often instruments of control, standardizing our behavior and embedding us within commercial or political systems. Yet they also offer new possibilities for action and connection. Social media platforms, for example, are powerful tools of corporate hegemony that commodify our attention. At the same time, they are sites where social movements can organize and marginalized voices can find a platform. Ritual practiceâthe way we use these devicesâis the field where this tension between domination and redemption is constantly played out.
Assignment
Read the Introduction and Chapter 3, "The Ritual Body," in Catherine Bell's Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice. As you read, consider the following questions: How does Bell critique previous theories of ritual? What is the relationship between the ritualized body and social power? Can you think of a personal, non-religious routine that could be analyzed as a form of ritualization?
Read: Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice Knowledge Check
Reflect on the key topics in this lesson.
1
What is the primary shift in perspective that Bell advocates for in the study of ritual?
Hint: It involves moving from a noun to a verb, from a category to a process.
2
How does a "ritualized body" acquire knowledge?
Hint: Think about the difference between explicit instruction and embodied practice.
3
According to Bell, can ritual be a site of social change? Why or why not?
Hint: Consider the concept of "redemptive hegemony."
Additional Resources
Supplementary materials for deeper exploration.
Ways of Seeing
A classic text and TV series that explores how the act of seeing is a political and culturally conditioned practice, much like how Bell analyzes ritual as a strategic practice.
The Practice of Everyday Life
De Certeau examines how people appropriate and subvert the products and systems of a dominant culture through their daily tactics and practices, offering a parallel to Bell's idea of ritual as a site of both hegemony and resistance.