Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice
"Throws down the gauntlet to cultural interpretations of ritual....Bell's erudition and command of the literature, especially in the field of anthropology, is most impressive.  Her appeal for the centrality of dynamic individuals, strategies, and power relationships is powerful and will no doubt strike a chord among those similarly disaffected with prevailing trends in understanding ritual."--American Journal of Sociology"Fills a gap....Bell has supplied a thorough study of the field that brings together some valuable insights difficult to find elsewhere under one cover."--Sociology"Catherine Bell's book will surely set the standard for work in the burgeoning field of "ritual studies" for some time....excellent."--The Journal of Religion"This book would serve as a valuable resource for understanding theories and developing research ideas on ritual--especially with Bell's incisive, comprehensive treatment of previous theories....I strongly recommend this book to any social scientist who is critical and curious enough to swim against the mainstream in exploration of our complex, dynamic relationships with culture, our creation(s), and our creator(s)."--The International Journal of the Psychology of Religion"Bell provides an illuminating examination of the linkages...between the analytics of ritual and broader conceptualizations of social process....her presentation of "the framework of ritualization" strikes me as one of the most excitingand originalcontributions to ritual theory I have read in recent years."--History of Religion