Emily Goddard - Ritual Reset: radical ethnographies of liminal spaces

Liminal spaces, understood as transitory states, are examined through two distinct ethnographic projects to analyze their potential for personal reset and social change. These projects, a sound healing circle and an immersive theater performance, are evaluated through the anthropological lens of thick participation and autoethnography. By focusing on the interplay of senses, personal perception, and power dynamics, these rituals demonstrate how individuals navigate and reconstitute their identities within non-structured environments. Key themes include the importance of sensory engagement and the concept of porous identity in ritual settings. While the sound healing circle focuses on verbalized intellectual processes, the immersion project relies on non-intellectual experiences to break down internal boundaries. Both practices facilitate profound transitions by blending internal and external realities, ultimately pointing to new ways of conceptualizing human development and community dynamics.