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The Significance of Sporting Event Rituals Essay examples

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Durkheim’s theoretical approach of rituals, presents a unique perspective that describes the important social rituals that take place in today’s society such as churches, funerals, weddings, and sporting events. Throughout his theory, Durkheim describes different social groups and explains how these beliefs and practices are directly related to the rituals and actions that are associated with them. Durkheim presents a relationship between the behaviors of ritual and devotion to social order. Many rituals often have sacred items that provide individuals with a significant meaning or set of specific beliefs, which connect them to a particular group. Sporting events are popular in today’s culture, however, many have not looked at this event …show more content…

Many of these fans seemed to be participating in the celebration, as means of fitting in. In other words these celebrations seemed to serve the purpose of gathering together and joining in certain tradition to produce a sense of cultural identity. This allows fans to become involved with the others around them. Many other fans give the impression of not having much interest in the celebrations at all; although they wore and participated in the same activities as others. I figured it had to be the pressure they felt by their social environments, like their family or friends influencing them to join in. Social solidarity is “the level of integration in a society, blending and organizing of separate and diverse elements into a more complete, balanced whole” (Durkheim, in Allan, 2013, p. 133). Over two-hundred people attended the sporting event. Social solidarity began to emerge as both males and females from different races, ages, and economic classes were at the event. Collective consciousness according to Durkheim “takes on a life and reality of its own and independently influences human thought, emotion, and behavior, particularly in response to high levels of ritual” (Durkheim, in Allan, 2013, p. 119). This theoretical issue was noticeable; because it was clear no matter who you were, or what you had, as long as you supported the same team, other individuals

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