HST691: Ritual and Initiation in Fraternal Organisations, 1700-2000
15 credits (semester 2)
Module Leader: Dr. Andreas Önnerfors
| Module Summary |
A characteristic feature of fraternal organisations over time is that their members enter the organisation after often elaborate rituals of initiation. Knowledge transfer, especially in predominantly oral cultures, is performed via ritual. The initiation rituals used in freemasonry and many other organisations thus deepen knowledge. The module will allow students to use ritual theory as a tool of understanding and analysis of these complex processes. It does so by focussing on historical examples of the use of rituals and different ways of initiation in different historical periods, focusing on the the 18th – 20th century.
| Module Aims |
This module will make the students familiar with ritual theory as an applied method of historical study. Students will examine a variety of examples of initiation and rituals as a constitutive part of the sociability of fraternal organisations. They will also investigate the impact of initiation and ritual for the single members and the social structure of the organisation in question in general.
| Teaching |
Students will have an introductory seminar, taken by the module convener, in Week 1 when bibliographies and learning materials will be distributed. Weeks 2 and 3 will be spent on preparatory reading and independent study. In Week 4, 5 two-hour seminars will be taught by an expert guest-lecturer, chosen, introduced to students and mentored by the module convener. Students will then complete their 3,000 word assessments in the usual way. These will be marked and evaluated by the guest-lecturer and an established member of staff.
| Assessment |
Students will complete one piece of written work (totalling a maximum of 3,000 words) which will explore the themes raised during the module and apply them to a specific case. Students will be expected to demonstrate an ability to discuss critically the major themes raised by the course, to relate their examples to the wider issues addressed and to demonstrate an understanding of different theoretical and methodological concerns.
| Intended Learning Outcomes |
By the end of the module, a candidate will be able to demonstrate:
- A good understanding and awareness of rituals and initiation as two main features of fraternal organisations.
- An ability to apply ritual theory in the analysis of historical source material.
- Enhanced critical skills regarding the function of rituals in knowledge-transfer and the establishment of social order.
- An enhanced ability to scrutinise and critically analyse ritual texts as historical source material.