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The Year of the Ritual

To mark the international conference “Ritual Dynamicsand the Science of Ritual”, SFB 619 ”Ritual Dynamics” has proclaimed the year 2008 in Heidelberg as “The Year of the Ritual”. In order to underscore the relevance of ritual research and do justice to its educational remit from the university, SFB619 ”Ritual Dynamics” will reach out far beyond the academic bounds.

Events during the Conference

Monday, 29 September 2008

Discussion Forum (In German)
A Corset for the Emotions? Why We do Need Rituals

With Dr. Henrik Jungaberle, SFB 619 research fellow, Psychotherapist/Music Therapist, Institute of Medical Psychology, University Clinic Heidelberg; Prof. Dr. Ute Hüsken, Indologist, Sanskrit Professor, University of Oslo; Prof. Dr. Christoph Wulf, Educational Science, Freie Universität Berlin
Presented in cooperation with SWR2 Forum by radio host Eggert Blum.
Neue Universität, Neue Aula
Time: 17:15-18:45, free admission

Ritualized practices, according to Sigmund Freud, carry us through everyday life. Breakfast on Sundays, personal hygiene in the morning, seating plan at supper: It could be different, but the feeling of the “that’s the way it’s always been” gives us a sense of security. Greeting rituals, for example, help us overcome our fears with strangers. Even when we escape from our daily routines, get tipsy, sing and dance at a party, we coverourselves by means of rituals. Everyday rituals function much like religious or political rituals: They provide footing in crisissituations, strengthen the identities of social groups, anchor therules of social life. But rituals can also restrict us. Youth inparticular rebels against rituals that seem senseless to them – andcreates new ones. Do we need both – the rule and its violation, liberty and subordination? How can we combine the joys of improvisation withour longings for security by always choosing the same?

Welcome and Reception
Opening Lecture: Prof. Dr. Axel Michaels, Speaker of the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 619 "Dynamics of Ritual"
Neue Universität, Neue Aula
Time: 19:00, free admission

Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Key Note Lecture
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jan Assmann
Magic and Ritual (in German)
Neue Universität, Neue Aula
Time: 19:00, free admission

Wednesday, 1 October 2008

Plenary Discussion
Introductory presentation:
Prof. Dr. Christoph Wulf, Freie Universität Berlin
"The Future of the Science of Ritual in a transcultural Context"
Location: Neue Universität, Neue Aula
Time: 18:00, free admission

Wednesday, 1 October 2008
Concert “The Anatomy of Solitude”
Lute Songs New and Old on a Perennial Theme by Evelyn Tubb and Anthony Rooley
Location: Alte Universität, Alte Aula
Time: 20:00 tickets available on site (11 Euro/15 Euro)

With this concert, SFB 619 ”Ritual Dynamics” opens itself to the audience at large.

A visit to a concert has established itself for various reasons as acultural ritual in our society. Amid the hustle and bustle of modern life, it provides a means of contemplation and reflection, and thus become a ritual of a very personal kind.

“Life’s observers have commented we come into this world alone, and we leave it, alone; some poets have adored solitariness for its own sake, finding solace and inspiration both in times of tranquil communication with Nature, or in the meditative atmosphere of one’s study. Our recital is an exercise; drawn from the past, we intend it a meditation for today, to be relevant to this present moment, now.” (Evelyn Tubb and Anthony Rooley)

“Contemplation requires time. Palpable devotion to stillness needs nurturing. Curiosity as to what lies behind the normal rush and push is easily stifled.
Solitude, therefore, often carries a tinge of melancholy or undefined sadness.
“Perhaps regret for too many moments compromised by pace, pressure and ‘matters of consequence’” (The Little Prince)

Motifs of solitude will be reflected in the choice of compositions.

Thursday, 2 October 2008
Exchange meeting between scientists from the German Archaeological Institute and the Collaborative Research Center SFB 619
Location: Neue Universität, Alter Senatssaal
Time: 9:00 - 12:00, free admission

Further Events

A tour of the old town:
Heidelberg in Rituals – The World of Ritual in The Old Town

(28th September - 12th October 2008)

Guided tours 4 p.m. (12 Euro / 8 Euro reduced) – registration at conference office – Meeting point: J.&.Portheim Foundation Museum of Cultural Anthropology, ("Völkerkundemuseum"), Hauptstraße 235

SFB 619 ”Ritual Dynamics” invites you to a truly exceptional tour of the old town, directly during the conference. Heidelberg in Rituals allows you to experience the world of ritual along a 12-stop tour of the city’s old town. This is an interdisciplinary event which has been devised by scientists wishing to awaken curiosity among the city’s guests and inhabitants for research.

A large number of special exhibits, objects from a variety of different museums and collections, plus striking ritual artefacts in public space, will be linked together during the guided tour. Select objects on the tour will mark the poles of the ritual realm and allow the visitor to experience the cultural, historical and social significance of rituals worldwide - all in a small space. For the first time experts will reveal the collections to the visitors as the treasure troves they really are. The alternation between inside and out, between contemporary and historical references to rituals sharpens our awareness, open up new ways of seeing the all-too-familiar, and grants insights into worlds unknown. The choice of ritual artefacts has been made so as to underscore the change that ritual practices undergo.

The project highlights the relationship between cultural studies and everyday culture, and sees itself as a pilot project which ideally should find a lasting place in Heidelberg. It is further planned to documen tritual artefacts from Heidelberg in a special publication.

Exhibition:
Rituals and World Order. Illustrations from 12th- to 18th-century Heidelberg Manuscriptsand Prints

Exhibition at Heidelberg University Library (next to conference place), Sept 27, 2008 to Jan 25, 2009, free admission

Rituals are not haphazard, recurring acts. They rather feature a multitude of dynamic and complex proceedings. Each time the ritual is performed, the participants publicly play their respective part afresh, either asserting the social order or pointing out its changes to the audience. Surviving illustrations of rituals provide an eclectic picture about the social orders during the European Middle Ages and early modern times.

Exploring this subject, the exhibition “Rituals and World Order. Illustrations from 12th-to 18th-century Heidelberg Manuscripts and Prints” draws on the rich material from the Heidelberg University Library.

The exhibition is presented as part of the international conference „Ritual Dynamics and the Science of Ritual“ and is open to visitors from September 27,2008 to January 25, 2009.

Exhibition:
Following the Footsteps of the Gods – Rituals and Religious Aesthetics in Orissa
J.& E. Portheim Foundation Museum of Cultural Anthropology, September 28, 2008 to May 2009.
Opening: Sunday, Sept 28, 2008, 16:00

Special guided tours during the conference each day 5 p.m. (free admission)

The remote state of Orissa is the only state in the Indian subcontinent where religious and artistic traditions of abundant variety and immense expressiveness survived to this day. This cultural wealth is rooted in the belief system of the over 62 tribes that have been characterizing Orissa for millennia. It is the amalgamation of the original ideas of the “first inhabitants” (Adivasi) with Hindu believes that makes Orissa one of the most exciting Indian regions from the perspective of religious history.

The exhibition follows the footsteps of divine presence through space and time, drawing the visitor with its large-size photographs, video sequences, bronzes, paintings and palm leaf works into a world of unknown rituals and fascinating religious aesthetics. The visit is a visual media-based experience, leading from the “savage” to the central goddess Lakshmi, to holy places, myths and legends, to the important tutelary god Jagannath, to the Sora tribes who communicate with the netherworld, and to the Kondh tribe whose earth goddess only enabled earthly life through her self-sacrifice. At the end, Hingula, “goddess of fire”, who today is strongly associated with coal mining, shows how the rapid industrialization interfered with religious belief and thus caused tensions.

The exhibition is presented in cooperation with Dr. Cornelia Mallebrein and the J.& E. Portheim Foundation Museum of Cultural Anthropology as part of the international conference „Ritual Dynamics and the Science of Ritual“.

Discussion Forum in cooperation with

Concert Evelyn Tubb and Anthony Rooley

Tour of the Old Town - Heidelberg in Rituals

Exhibition at Heidelberg University Library

The Year of the Ritual

Events during the Conference

Further Events

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SFB 619 Sponsors & Partners Poster Send to a Colleague Contact Imprint	Discussion Forum in cooperation with Concert Evelyn Tubb and Anthony Rooley Sponsored by the Stadt-Heidelberg-Stiftung (City of Heidelberg Foundation) Tour of the Old Town - Heidelberg in Rituals Sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Frankenthal figurines representing ritual dance in the baroque era (courtesy of Kurpfälzisches Museum, Heidelberg) Exhibition at Heidelberg University Library Illustration: The pope consecrates Emperor Otto III, Heidelberg University Library, CPG 137 Exhibition at J.& E. Portheim Foundation Museum of Cultural Anthropology Following the Footsteps of the Gods – Rituals and Religious Aesthetics in Orissa > Events The Year of the Ritual To mark the international conference “Ritual Dynamicsand the Science of Ritual”, SFB 619 ”Ritual Dynamics” has proclaimed the year 2008 in Heidelberg as “The Year of the Ritual”. In order to underscore the relevance of ritual research and do justice to its educational remit from the university, SFB619 ”Ritual Dynamics” will reach out far beyond the academic bounds. Events during the Conference Monday, 29 September 2008 Discussion Forum (In German) A Corset for the Emotions? Why We do Need Rituals With Dr. Henrik Jungaberle, SFB 619 research fellow, Psychotherapist/Music Therapist, Institute of Medical Psychology, University Clinic Heidelberg; Prof. Dr. Ute Hüsken, Indologist, Sanskrit Professor, University of Oslo; Prof. Dr. Christoph Wulf, Educational Science, Freie Universität Berlin Presented in cooperation with SWR2 Forum by radio host Eggert Blum. Neue Universität, Neue Aula Time: 17:15-18:45, free admission Ritualized practices, according to Sigmund Freud, carry us through everyday life. Breakfast on Sundays, personal hygiene in the morning, seating plan at supper: It could be different, but the feeling of the “that’s the way it’s always been” gives us a sense of security. Greeting rituals, for example, help us overcome our fears with strangers. Even when we escape from our daily routines, get tipsy, sing and dance at a party, we coverourselves by means of rituals. Everyday rituals function much like religious or political rituals: They provide footing in crisissituations, strengthen the identities of social groups, anchor therules of social life. But rituals can also restrict us. Youth inparticular rebels against rituals that seem senseless to them – andcreates new ones. Do we need both – the rule and its violation, liberty and subordination? How can we combine the joys of improvisation withour longings for security by always choosing the same? Welcome and Reception Opening Lecture: Prof. Dr. Axel Michaels, Speaker of the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 619 "Dynamics of Ritual" Neue Universität, Neue Aula Time: 19:00, free admission Tuesday, 30 September 2008 Key Note Lecture Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jan Assmann Magic and Ritual (in German) Neue Universität, Neue Aula Time: 19:00, free admission Wednesday, 1 October 2008 Plenary Discussion Introductory presentation: Prof. Dr. Christoph Wulf, Freie Universität Berlin "The Future of the Science of Ritual in a transcultural Context" Location: Neue Universität, Neue Aula Time: 18:00, free admission Wednesday, 1 October 2008 Concert “The Anatomy of Solitude” Lute Songs New and Old on a Perennial Theme by Evelyn Tubb and Anthony Rooley Location: Alte Universität, Alte Aula Time: 20:00 tickets available on site (11 Euro/15 Euro) With this concert, SFB 619 ”Ritual Dynamics” opens itself to the audience at large. A visit to a concert has established itself for various reasons as acultural ritual in our society. Amid the hustle and bustle of modern life, it provides a means of contemplation and reflection, and thus become a ritual of a very personal kind. “Life’s observers have commented we come into this world alone, and we leave it, alone; some poets have adored solitariness for its own sake, finding solace and inspiration both in times of tranquil communication with Nature, or in the meditative atmosphere of one’s study. Our recital is an exercise; drawn from the past, we intend it a meditation for today, to be relevant to this present moment, now.” (Evelyn Tubb and Anthony Rooley) “Contemplation requires time. Palpable devotion to stillness needs nurturing. Curiosity as to what lies behind the normal rush and push is easily stifled. Solitude, therefore, often carries a tinge of melancholy or undefined sadness. “Perhaps regret for too many moments compromised by pace, pressure and ‘matters of consequence’” (The Little Prince) Motifs of solitude will be reflected in the choice of compositions. Thursday, 2 October 2008 Exchange meeting between scientists from the German Archaeological Institute and the Collaborative Research Center SFB 619 Location: Neue Universität, Alter Senatssaal Time: 9:00 - 12:00, free admission Further Events A tour of the old town: Heidelberg in Rituals – The World of Ritual in The Old Town (28th September - 12th October 2008) Guided tours 4 p.m. (12 Euro / 8 Euro reduced) – registration at conference office – Meeting point: J.&.Portheim Foundation Museum of Cultural Anthropology, ("Völkerkundemuseum"), Hauptstraße 235 Register here or see www.hd-rituell.de (German only) SFB 619 ”Ritual Dynamics” invites you to a truly exceptional tour of the old town, directly during the conference. Heidelberg in Rituals allows you to experience the world of ritual along a 12-stop tour of the city’s old town. This is an interdisciplinary event which has been devised by scientists wishing to awaken curiosity among the city’s guests and inhabitants for research. A large number of special exhibits, objects from a variety of different museums and collections, plus striking ritual artefacts in public space, will be linked together during the guided tour. Select objects on the tour will mark the poles of the ritual realm and allow the visitor to experience the cultural, historical and social significance of rituals worldwide - all in a small space. For the first time experts will reveal the collections to the visitors as the treasure troves they really are. The alternation between inside and out, between contemporary and historical references to rituals sharpens our awareness, open up new ways of seeing the all-too-familiar, and grants insights into worlds unknown. The choice of ritual artefacts has been made so as to underscore the change that ritual practices undergo. The project highlights the relationship between cultural studies and everyday culture, and sees itself as a pilot project which ideally should find a lasting place in Heidelberg. It is further planned to documen tritual artefacts from Heidelberg in a special publication. Exhibition: Rituals and World Order. Illustrations from 12th- to 18th-century Heidelberg Manuscriptsand Prints Exhibition at Heidelberg University Library (next to conference place), Sept 27, 2008 to Jan 25, 2009, free admission Rituals are not haphazard, recurring acts. They rather feature a multitude of dynamic and complex proceedings. Each time the ritual is performed, the participants publicly play their respective part afresh, either asserting the social order or pointing out its changes to the audience. Surviving illustrations of rituals provide an eclectic picture about the social orders during the European Middle Ages and early modern times. Exploring this subject, the exhibition “Rituals and World Order. Illustrations from 12th-to 18th-century Heidelberg Manuscripts and Prints” draws on the rich material from the Heidelberg University Library. The exhibition is presented as part of the international conference „Ritual Dynamics and the Science of Ritual“ and is open to visitors from September 27,2008 to January 25, 2009. Exhibition: Following the Footsteps of the Gods – Rituals and Religious Aesthetics in Orissa J.& E. Portheim Foundation Museum of Cultural Anthropology, September 28, 2008 to May 2009. Opening: Sunday, Sept 28, 2008, 16:00 Special guided tours during the conference each day 5 p.m. (free admission) The remote state of Orissa is the only state in the Indian subcontinent where religious and artistic traditions of abundant variety and immense expressiveness survived to this day. This cultural wealth is rooted in the belief system of the over 62 tribes that have been characterizing Orissa for millennia. It is the amalgamation of the original ideas of the “first inhabitants” (Adivasi) with Hindu believes that makes Orissa one of the most exciting Indian regions from the perspective of religious history. The exhibition follows the footsteps of divine presence through space and time, drawing the visitor with its large-size photographs, video sequences, bronzes, paintings and palm leaf works into a world of unknown rituals and fascinating religious aesthetics. The visit is a visual media-based experience, leading from the “savage” to the central goddess Lakshmi, to holy places, myths and legends, to the important tutelary god Jagannath, to the Sora tribes who communicate with the netherworld, and to the Kondh tribe whose earth goddess only enabled earthly life through her self-sacrifice. At the end, Hingula, “goddess of fire”, who today is strongly associated with coal mining, shows how the rapid industrialization interfered with religious belief and thus caused tensions. The exhibition is presented in cooperation with Dr. Cornelia Mallebrein and the J.& E. Portheim Foundation Museum of Cultural Anthropology as part of the international conference „Ritual Dynamics and the Science of Ritual“.