Narrator: Listen to part of a lecture in a sociology class.
Professor: Many of you are probably familiar with Mardi Gras in New Orleans or Carnaval in Rio. But these are just two of many, many carnival celebrations that take place around the world each winter. There are all kinds of interesting traditions linked to carnival celebrations like these. In Ivrea, Italy, people pelt each other with 400 tons of oranges. In parts of Spain and Latin America, people hold elaborate funerals for sardines. And in the Rhineland of Germany, women take over the town and cut off men’s ties.
What’s the point of all this? Well, you may not have been to Carnaval, but you’ve probably taken part in something like one. A graduation ceremony, a sweet sixteen or quinceañera party, or even just going to college. These are all examples of something called liminality, which is what we’re going to talk about today.
Liminality is defined as the period of uncertainty that occurs when you pass from one state to another. A lot of the things we celebrate—birthdays, graduations, and so on—are markers of liminal times. And the same holds true on a bigger scale—things like a carnival, or an election, or even a war. These are all liminal moments.
Why is this important? We go through transitions all the time. What’s interesting is that these transitions tend to have the same structure and purpose in societies all around the world, throughout history.
During a liminal period, many normal rules and boundaries are dissolved. People have the freedom to explore and change. When a person or group finishes a liminal stage, they often emerge with new ideas, rules, or even institutions. Liminality is important part of how humans move forward.
The idea of liminality came from studies of rites of passage—the events we have to help people move from one state to another. Most societies have these, most often to help young people transition to adulthood. In our society, going to college is one rite of passage that helps young people move toward adult lives. Like all liminal rites, going to college has three phases: rites of separation, transition rites, and reincorporation rites. Let’s talk a bit more about each phase.
First, rites of separation. This phase starts a liminal period. Some theorists call it a kind of “metaphorical death.” At this point, the person or group makes a break with their past. This can be a literal change of place or stopping a routine—things like that. So leaving home to move into a dorm, this is a rite of separation. You’re leaving your home and family behind. This marks the end of your childhood, so that you can begin preparing for an adult life.
Second, transition rites happen during the period of liminality. During this phase, one is between things. You’re not who you were before, but you haven’t become who you will be. Rules and structure are more fluid. There’s room to experiment. Often this period is overseen by an older, more experienced person or group. Sounds kind of like college, right? You have a lot more freedom, and you live mostly with people your own age. Although with some guidance from teachers and other adults. And, like all transition rites, it only lasts for a limited time.
Finally, rites of incorporation. In this phase, people come back to established structures and settings. Now, they are different people, with roles that are different from before. Everything that was learned during the transition phase can now be applied to a new adult life. Often there’s a celebration. In an ideal world, this is what will happen when you graduate—a big party, and then you’ll probably start a job… maybe get your own apartment. You begin living an adult life, different from the one you had before. So in college, we have whole groups of people going through this transition together. Sometimes entire societies go through liminal rites, too. Like Rio’s Carnaval, when all kinds of crazy things happen to mark the beginning of Lent or the change from winter to spring. And sometimes individuals go through these rites alone, often around major life events, like a birth or a death. These liminal periods last different lengths of time—a single day or a few years… like the four years you spend in college.
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What is the main purpose of the lecture? |
Gist-purpose. The main purpose of the lecture is to explain a framework for how individuals and societies structure transitions, particularly for young people growing up. |
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| ✗ | A To elaborate on the purpose of a college education |
While the lecture uses college as an example of a liminal state, the main focus of the lecture is not on college but on the larger issue of liminality. |
| ✓ | B To explain a way of framing personal and social transitions |
Correct. “Liminality,” the topic of the lecture, is one way of organizing the many social practices surrounding transitional states. |
| ✗ | C To elaborate on the different ways in which societies celebrate coming of age |
Coming of age celebrations are briefly mentioned, but only as examples of liminal events. |
| ✗ | D To explain the differences between adolescence and adulthood |
The lecture does not focus on how these states differ. Rather, it is focused on the transition between these, and other, states. |
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Why does the professor discuss Mardi Gras and Carnaval? |
Inference. At the beginning of the lecture, the professor uses Mardi Gras and Carnaval as well-known examples to illustrate the celebrations associated with liminality. |
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| ✗ | A To emphasize that celebrations are an important part of all societies |
The professor does not discuss the purpose of celebrations generally. The lecture focuses on liminal states. |
| ✗ | B To draw an analogy between carnival celebrations and college graduation |
While both celebrations are connected to liminal states, the lecture does not explicitly compare the two. |
| ✓ | C To give examples of liminal time periods in different cultures |
Correct. The lecture uses these examples to introduce some of the ways liminal events are celebrated in different cultures. |
| ✗ | D To show how carnivals have evolved differently in different places |
The lecture does not discuss the evolution of different carnival celebrations. |
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According to the lecture, which of the following are examples of liminal moments? Choose 2 answers. |
Detail. The professor says, “A lot of the things we celebrate—birthdays, graduations, and so on—are markers of liminal times. And the same holds true on a bigger scale—things like a carnival, or an election, or even a war. These are all liminal moments.” |
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| ✓ | a A birthday celebration |
Correct. The lecture mentions birthdays as well as sweet sixteen and quinceañera celebrations as examples of liminal moments. |
| ✗ | b A serious accident |
Accidents are not mentioned in the lecture. |
| ✓ | c An election |
Correct. The lecture includes elections in its list of liminal moments. |
| ✗ | d A long-term illness |
Long-term illnesses are not mentioned in the lecture. |
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What example does the professor give of a rite of incorporation? |
Detail. The professor discusses rites of incorporation in the final segment of the lecture, stating that these rites mark the end of a liminal period. College graduation is included as an example of this rite. |
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| ✓ | A Graduating from college |
Correct. The lecture uses college graduation as an example of a rite of incorporation. |
| ✗ | B Returning from a trip |
Returning from a trip is not mentioned in the lecture. |
| ✗ | C Completing a large project |
Completing a large project is not mentioned in the lecture. |
| ✗ | D Attending Mardi Gras |
Mardi Gras is given as an example of a liminal celebration, not a rite of incorporation. |
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Why does the professor mention the change from winter to spring? |
Detail. The professor includes this example as part of a list of times when an entire society goes through a liminal event. |
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| ✗ | A To illustrate the annual occurrence of all liminal events |
The professor does not indicate that all liminal events occur annually. |
| ✗ | B To give an example of a rite of passage |
The professor does not describe the change from winter to spring as a rite of passage. |
| ✓ | C To provide an example of an entire society going through a transition |
Correct. This example is given immediately after the professor explains that entire societies can experience liminal periods. |
| ✗ | D To give an example of a liminal event that makes people happy |
This is not the purpose of the professor mentioning the transition from winter to spring. |
Narrator: Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question.
Professor: This phase starts a liminal period. Some theorists call it a kind of “metaphorical death.” At this point, the person or group makes a break with their past. This can be a literal change of place or stopping a routine—things like that.
Narrator: Why does the professor say this:
Professor: Some theorists call it a kind of “metaphorical death.”
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Why does the professor say this? |
Function of What Is Said. The professor is describing rites of separation. The “metaphorical death” emphasizes that a liminal phase begins with a definitive break from the initial state. |
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| ✗ | A To describe death as yet another transition all people make |
The professor is talking about a “metaphorical death,” not a literal death. |
| ✗ | B To conclude that liminal states are traumatic |
Trauma is not mentioned in the lecture. |
| ✗ | C To illustrate a rite of incorporation |
In this quote, the professor is discussing rites of separation, not rites of incorporation. |
| ✓ | D To emphasize that liminal periods begin with the ending of what has come before |
Correct. This statement emphasizes that liminal periods start when something ends. |