The growing absence of meaningful ritual in contemporary Western societies has led to cohesive research on the history of ritualizing behaviour in different cultures. The relatively new field of ritology, which includes neuroscience, anthropology, cultural psychology, psychotherapy and even art and performance, raises questions about the significance and practice of ritual today. This book is the first of its kind to discuss the importance of secular rituals for cultural and personal growth. Using a transdisciplinary approach, a range of contributors provide an authoritative account of the science and history of rituals and their role in creating healthy societies in the modern age.

Contributions by: Ellen Dissanayake, Matthieu Smyth, Robert C. Scaer, Andrés Allemand Smaller, Christine Behrend, Isabel Russo, Michael Picucci, Joanna Wojtkowiak, Lindy Mechefske, Irene Stengs, Gianpiero Vincenzo, Jacqueline Millner