Ascending and Descending Meaning: A Theoretical Inquiry into Play and Ritual

In: Sociological inquiry: the quarterly journal of the International Sociology Honor Society, Band 50, Heft 1, S. 25-37

Abstract

The author introduces the dichotomy "ascending‐descending meaning" as a perspective for analyzing human relationships. After certain general considerations, this perspective is applied to two important forms of human activity—ritual and play. It is argued that the ascending‐descending framework both clarifies the meaning of these two terms and directs attention to their important relationship to each other.