Liminality

Initiation ritual of boys in Malawi

Liminality is a concept in anthropology and psychology that refers to the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of rites of passage, when participants no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold when the rite is complete. During a rite's liminal stage, participants "stand at the threshold" between their previous way of structuring their identity, time, or community, and a new way, which the rite establishes.

Origins and Development

The concept of liminality was first developed by the anthropologist Arnold van Gennep in his work Les Rites de Passage (1909). Van Gennep described rites of passage as having three phases: separation, liminality, and incorporation. The term was later popularized by Victor Turner, who expanded on van Gennep's work and applied the concept to a wide range of social and cultural phenomena.

Characteristics

Liminality is characterized by ambiguity, openness, and indeterminacy. It is a period of transition where normal limits to thought, self-understanding, and behavior are relaxed—a situation which can lead to new perspectives. In the liminal state, the individual is "betwixt and between" the positions assigned and arrayed by law, custom, convention, and ceremonial.

Examples

Liminality can be observed in various contexts, including:

• Rites of passage such as initiation ceremonies, marriage, and funerals.
• Cultural rituals and festivals.
• Psychological states such as adolescence and midlife crisis.
• Social phenomena such as migration and revolution.

Applications

The concept of liminality has been applied in various fields beyond anthropology, including sociology, psychology, literary theory, and performance studies. It is used to analyze the processes of change and transformation in individuals and societies.

Related Concepts

• Communitas: A term used by Victor Turner to describe the sense of community and equality that can emerge during liminal periods.
• Threshold: A metaphorical or literal point of entry or beginning.
• Marginality: The state of being on the margins of social, cultural, or economic systems.

See Also

• Rites of passage
• Arnold van Gennep
• Victor Turner
• Communitas
• Threshold
• Marginality