Reproduction of the social through ritual

The role of theritual in the process of reproduction of the social is considered in the article. This role is determined to a large extent by its interactivecharacter. Interactive ritual represents a micro-situation developing here and now. It unites the society into a single whole, enables it topreserve its integrity, which is established due to the fact that rituals restore the general emotional background of the participants. Whilefulfilling rituals the focus of attention is intensified on a certain aspect. It is considered that the importance of a ritual action in appearanceof the social in peoples lives in modern society could be revealed through the analysis of its functions: 1) socializing function,2)the function of social memory preservation, 3) ideological function, 4) the function of subjectivity reproduction and 5) innovativefunction. 1. A ritual performing the socializing function prepares an individual to the social life, cultivates the qualities, which are ofhigh importance for his/her life in a society. 2. The function of social memory preservation is connected with the maintenance of thetraditions and values established in the society. That is why the rituals should be repeated from time to time in order to actualise theexperience of previous generations in individuals minds. 3. The ideological function is connected with the fact that an individual takingon societys norms and values finds oneself involved in the ideological process of meanings institutionalisation. Only those norms,which lie in the basis of the society an individual belongs to, penetrate an individuals mind without any reflexion. 4. The function ofsubjectivity reproduction in the ritual is realized through personal transformation occurring under the influence of this ritual. 5. Theinnovative function consists in the ability of the ritual to generate something new. It enables to discover and establish new social meaningsand values both in an individuals and public conscience. The analysis of the main functions of ritual actions showed that they areable to form communities. A ritual, whether it is social, religious, political or individual, inevitably exists in the life of every member ofthe society owing to the social structure. In this respect the ritual as the principle of society formation and harmonization has the ontologicalstatus: it generates and makes the being stable at least for the participants of the ritual. Therefore ritual exists everywhere inmodern life as a mechanism of peoples uniting and as a basis of sociality. This condition also determines the role, which rituals continueto play in modern society.

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