Mankind
Quarterly, Vol. 47, No. 1 (Fall-Winter 2006)
pp. 41-59
Ritual,
Taboo and Political Protest
Edward Croft
Dutton
Oulu University, Finland
The aim
of this article is to examine a specific response
of the group Unite Against Racism (UAR) to electoral
victories by the British National Party (BNP) in terms
of ritual dynamics. We will first discuss the nature
of taboo drawing on the work of Douglas. This will
be related to Turner's work on liminality and ritual
and Edmund Leach's on taboo. The relationship between
ritual and taboo will then be examined as will the
BNP's policies in comparison to the beliefs of the
UAR. Thereafter we will discuss the nature of the
UAR's response to BNP victories and how this can be
understood as being a ritual in the senses suggested
by both Leach and Gilbert Lewis. The degree to which
the BNP, or votes for the BNP in certain areas, might
be seen to create taboo for UAR members will be discussed
in depth. It will be demonstrated that the superficially
senseless act of the UAR protesting against democracy
makes sense when analysed as ritual.
