Anonymity and the rise of universal occasions for religious ritual: an extension of the durkheimian theory

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion • Vol/Iss. 31 • Published In • Pages: 113-130 •
By Reeves, Edward B., Bylund, Robert A.

Abstract

This article describes the rise of abstracted religious beliefs in larger, more anonymous societies and investigates whether societal density and differentiation have had similar effects on ritual. The authors suggest that the universalization of ritual is due in part to interrelated effects of population size, political hierarchy, economic division of labor, and monetary exchange, all factors that create anonymity in society.
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: Kate Cummings  Amelia Piazza