According to the National Rites of Passage Institute (NROPI), African Americans have lost their authentic identity, which has led to inauthentic, broken individuals and communities. In order to reverse these trends, according to NROPI, African Americans must rediscover their authentic identity through a rites of passage program that plucks them from a Eurocentric narrative and places them into an Afrocentric one. This thesis explores how NROPI is a religious response to adversity that takes on a decidedly American form of contemporary religiosity. I argue that by analyzing NROPI and other contemporary rites of passage programs through the lens of religious studies, scholars can gain a deeper understanding of how these programs fit into the broader American religious landscape, and provide commentary on the changing nature of that religiosity, and how their language and rituals can be used as rhetorical strategies for social cohesion and control.

This thesis was conducted amidst a growing debate in Quebec and elsewhere about end-of-life options, namely euthanasia and palliative care. Apparently, the public is not well informed about the philosophy and goals of palliative care. This research first aimed to document the norms, values and practices of a team of carers in an independant institution of the province of Quebec. Then, it tried to understand what the representations of a peaceful, harmonious and comfortable death refer to empirically. Finally, this thesis addresses a fundamental anthropological problematic, mainly the transition between life and death : is palliative care, then, a rite of passage ? My data shows that the peaceful death, a version of the good death, is a normative death trajectory, more of a status passage than a ritual per se. It consists for the dying person of showing the very essence of themselves, through the exchange of narrative speech acts. In inviting the dying to do so, palliative care institutions are on the forefront of massive changes in the way of thinking and experiencing spirituality, which is currently shifting from a transcendantal scale to individual immanent experiences. / Ce mémoire vise à s’inscrire dans le débat sur l’euthanasie et sur la fin de vie qui secoue présentement le Québec et de nombreuses sociétés contemporaines, en cherchant à fournir des données anthropologiques sur le domaine des soins palliatifs, un champ de la santé apparemment méconnu d’une grande partie de la population selon certains commentateurs. Cette recherche a donc d’abord voulu documenter, par l’entremise d’un terrain ethnographique, les normes, valeurs et pratiques d’une équipe soignante en soins palliatif, dans le quotidien d’une institution québécoise. Les rapports empiriques des représentations d’une mort paisible, douce, réalisée dans le confort et l’harmonie furent également investigués. En trame de fond, ce mémoire adresse une question centrale de l’anthropologie, soit le domaine des transitions entre la vie et la mort : ainsi, l’accompagnement palliatif est-il un rite de passage en bonne et due forme ? Cette recherche indique que la mort paisible est une trajectoire du mourir normative, institutionnelle, davantage imbriquée dans un passage de statuts que dans un contexte rituel per se. La mort paisible est un cheminement qui invite la personne mourante à dévoiler, par le partage d’une parole narrative, l’essence d’elle- même. En ce sens, les institutions de soins palliatifs se retrouvent au front de changements majeurs dans la façon de concevoir la spiritualité en Occident, en opérant notamment un passage majeur de la transcendance à l’immanence.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

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Cette thèse s'intéresse au rôle des pratiques médiatiques dans la construction des adolescences lycéennes à La Réunion. Les adolescences lycéennes sont ici envisagées comme des périodes de multiples changements durant lesquelles les individus apprennent à acquérir le statut de lycéen. Cette mutation passe par trois stades qui constituent des « finalités intermédiaires » : les différenciations, les négociations, les adhésions. Les différenciations se construisent par rapport aux autres (enfants, adultes, parents, le sexe opposé). Les négociations résultent de la volonté des adolescents de bricoler avec les éléments qui leur sont imposés et qui font partie de leur identité. Enfin, les adhésions marquent le désir des individus d'adopter des codes et des activités participant à la reconnaissance de leur identité. L'analyse d'entretiens réalisés avec des lycéens en classe de seconde montre que ces adolescents mobilisent leurs pratiques médiatiques pour définir des « stratégies identitaires » facilitant la construction de soi. La thèse interroge au final le lien rites de passage et pratiques médiatiques par ailleurs largement travaillées par les dynamiques culturelles à l'œuvre dans cette île de l'océan Indien. / This dissertation is about the role played by media practices in the identity construction of adolescent secondary school (lycée) students in La Réunion. Secondary school adolescence is considered here as a period of multiple changes during which young individuals learn to be part of this moment of life. The transformation for students from college to lycée goes via the realization of “intermediary finalities”: differentiation, negotiation and identification. Differentiation means taking a distance from other individuals (children, adults, parents, opposite sex). Negociation results from the adolescents ‘ willingness to compose with different elements which are forced upon then and which are parts of their identity. Finally, indentification marks the individuals ‘ desires to adopt codes and activities playing a part in the recognition of their identity. The analysis of interviews conducted with students from the fifth of secondary school (seconde) shows that these teenagers are inspired by their media practices to define “strategies of identity” which help them in the construction of their personal selves. This research observes that media practices are not the only agents for the definition of adolescence: cultural dynamics operating in the island are equally important factors. The thesis also questions the links which can be made between media practices and rites of passage.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescence, especially for boys, is a time of exploration, experimentation and risk taking - "a rejection of the mundane" (Pinnock, 1997, p. 7). As their gender identity develops, boys start to identify with their fathers and require nurturance from them in order to develop an internal locus of control and the strength to successfully cope with life's challenges. Without older men to guide adolescent boys in mastering the tasks necessary for them to attain adult status, boys turn to other boys for assistance in making this transition. In the absence of community involvement and positive male role models, this rites of passage process can have disastrous effects. In 1999 a primary health care clinic was opened in Jamestown (located lOkm south east of Stellenbosch) and the staff at this clinic approached the Department of Psychology at the University of Stellenbosch for assistance, as there was an urgent need for psychological services in the community. The community role players were especially concerned about the male youth in the area, who were identified as being at risk for becoming involved in gang related activities and amongst whom drug and alcohol abuse was on the increase. In partnership with Usiko, a rites of passage diversion programme (targeting twenty-one boys and lasting for a period of nine months) was started at Stellenzicht Secondary School to address this concern. Thirteen men (mentors) were selected from Jamestown and surrounding areas to guide the boys (mentees) through this process. This research assignment is an outcome evaluation from the perspective of the twenty-one young men who participated in the first Jamestown Usiko Youth Project, as well as from the perspective of key informants (parents/guardians and teachers). Feedback from the mentees affirmed that participation in the project had contributed towards an improvement in interpersonal relationships, decreased in involvement in high risk activities, and an inspiration to overcome adverse circumstances. The teachers, however, indicated the need for closer collaboration between the project and the school to counter negative attitudes of the participants. Recommendations received from the mentees, their parents/guardians and teachers have been an invaluable resource ill improving the content and processes of the programme, which is now in its third cycle. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Adolessensie, veral vir tienerseuns, is 'n tyd van ontdekking, eksperimentering en waagstukke neem - "a rejection of the mundane" (Pinnock, 1997, p. 7). Soos hulle geslagsidentiteit ontwikkel, begin seuns hulle met hulle vaders identifiseer en ontvang hulle vaderlike ondersteuning. So ontwikkel die seuns mettertyd 'n interne lokus van beheer en die nodige vaardighede wat hulle in staat stelom die uitdagings van die lewe te hanteer. Sonder ouer mans wat aan adolessente seuns die begeleiding kan verskaf om die take te bemeester wat nodig is vir die bereiking van volwassenheid, raak seuns op ander seuns aangewys om hulle by te staan in hierdie oorgangsfase. In die afwesigheid van gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid en positiewe manlike rolmodelle, kan dié deurgangsrites rampspoedige gevolge hê. In 1999 is 'n primêre gesondheidskliniek in Jamestown (10km suidoos van Stellenbosch) geopen en die personeel van dié kliniek het die Departement van Sielkunde van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch genader vir bystand, aangesien daar 'n dringende behoefte vir sielkundige dienste in die gemeenskap was. Die rolspelers in die gemeenskap was veral bekommerd oor die manlike jeug in die area wat geïdentifiseer is as mense wat die risiko loop om by bendeverwante aktiwiteite betrokke te raak en onder wie dwelm en -alkoholmisbruik aan die toeneem was. In vennootskap met Usiko is 'n afleidingsprogram vir deurgangsrites in Stellenzicht Sekondêre Skool begin. Die teikengroep was een-en-twintig seuns en die program sou nege maande duur. Dertien mans (mentors) is uit Jamestown en omliggende gebiede gekeur om die seuns (mentees) deur hierdie proses te lei. Hierdie navorsingsprojek is 'n uitkoms-evaluering vanuit die perspektief van die een-en-twintig jong mans wat deelgeneem het aan die eerste Jamestown Usiko Jeugprojek, sowel as vanuit die perspektief van sleutelinformante (ouers/voogde en onderwysers). Terugvoering van die mentees het bevestig dat deelname aan die projek bygedra het tot 'n verbetering in interpersoonlike verhoudinge, 'n afname in betrokkenheid by hoë-risiko aktiwiteite, en 'n inspirasie om nadelige omstandighede te oorkom. Die onderwysers het egter gewys op die noodsaaklikheid van nouer samewerking tussen die projek en die skool om sodoende negatiewe gesindhede by die deelnemers teen te werk. Aanbevelings wat van die mentees, hulle ouers/voogde en onderwysers ontvang is, was 'n bron van onskatbare waarde om die inhoud en prosesse van die program, wat nou in sy derde siklus is, te verbeter.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

本論文主要在探討雲林地區「給神明作契子」的現象，主要的研究地區是海豐堡和布嶼西堡二地。本研究針對廟方、契子和其家人三方面作深入的研究，從過渡儀式、傳統觀念中不潔的概念、民俗醫療為理論基礎，分析孩子「給神明作契子」的原因、儀式的進行、影響和社會意義。 本研究主要的發現有以下幾點： 1. 「給神明作契子」儀式的操控者是孩子的父母、家人，而儀式主要治療的對象除了契子以外，還有契子的家人。 2. 從契子家人的觀點出發，在「給神明作契子」的原因方面，可分為四種：「歹育飼」、家中男丁不旺、家族或地方上的傳統習慣、其它的原因。而父母讓孩子「給神明作契子」，主要的心態有二：一是治療性的心態，一是預防性的心態。 3. 在「給神明作契子」的社會意義方面，此儀式主要是處理社會上個人脫序的問題，經過儀式的進行，使個體恢復正常。所以無論在契子或其家人的身上，「給神明作契子」的儀式都展現了過渡儀式的意義。另一方面，從民俗醫療的觀點來看，「給神明作契子」的儀式是一種治療，對於契子來說，它主要是解決社會文化的疾病，同時它也對契子的家人，產生了心理治療的效果。 4. 除此之外，本研究也分析了不同類型的廟宇對於「給神明作契子」的態度。簡單的區分，廟方對於「給神明作契子」事宜的辦理，主要有三種型態：積極推銷型、維持傳統型、消極處理型。 最後，作者整合整個研究的發現，並提出未來研究的方向，認為可更進一步結合村落中的人、神和廟宇，描繪出一個真實生活的圖像。

<p>This thesis discusses South Scandinavian cup marks in general, and cup marks in Kronobergs County in particular. The question is whether the cup mark phenomena can be viewed as an ordinary family-based cult for a kind of everyday use, or more likely as a community passage ritual. The thesis also suggests that cup marks were made by ritual participants in, or in the process of trying to reach, an altered state of consciousness.</p>

Young women in Mexico and parts of Central America celebrate their fifteenth birthdays by following a complex rite of initiation, called Quinceañeras, a special ritual developed as a mixed heritage of the native people and their contact with European conquerors. The emerging Latino population in Atlanta celebrates this rite, facing the reality of being a minority racial group, although they maintain the same essence and goal than the celebration than in their country. This research explores this growing population group in Atlanta, in a special and significant cultural occasion, using an ethnographic approach methodology through participant observation and personal journals of the Quinceañeras as way to describe the meaning, implications and issues of this celebration for these girls and their families under a Social Constructionist Model of Ethnicity and Life Course Sociology theoretical framework.