13th Midterm Conference of the European Sociological Association (ESA) "Questioning Artistic Hegemony: Old and New Resistances in Algorithmic Capitalism"
Doi:
https://ddd.uab.cat/record/320408?ln=en
Rituals play a key role in fostering a sense of community. However, they can also highlight social hierarchies that may increase exclusion (Bourdieu, 1996). Upper secondary school represents a crucial developmental stage for adolescents, characterized by forming and consolidating social bonds. This study explores the following question: In what ways do rituals contribute to the constitution of community in school revues, and how do these rituals open and close the symbolic boundaries of the community?
This paper stems from an ongoing Ph.D. project focusing on Norwegian adolescents (ages 16-18) and their experiences participating in school revues at upper secondary schools. These revues are a traditional activity led by students with minimal involvement from school employees and represent a little-explored field of research. A school revue is a theatrical performance that may include skits, songs, dances, and comedy routines, often revolving around popular culture or current events. The revue involves various work groups, e.g., cafeteria staff, costumes, and on-stage performers. Typically, about 200 pupils from all grade levels (1-3) at each school participate in some capacity.
As an extracurricular activity, school revues offer a distinctive platform for students to collaborate, perform, and connect in ways that transcend traditional classroom interactions. However, participation can also engender feelings of exclusion. Existing social patterns and statuses might affect the sense of community. Consequently, questions about inclusion and exclusion arise.
Data were generated within an ethnographic context across two school revues during the 2023-2024 academic year in the counties of Oslo and Akershus, which have a 100-year tradition of revues. Methods involved participant observation and qualitative, semi-structured interviews (individual and group). Using an inductive approach, it was found that rituals hold significant importance in the revue communities.
The rituals in school revues stem from traditions such as auditions, division of groups, and party culture. Additionally, these rituals can evoke social hierarchies that exacerbate exclusion. Students may be sorted into roles based on popularity. Those who do not fit into the established norms of participation may feel their identities and contributions are belittled or overlooked. Rituals in school revues play a dual role in fostering a sense of community and highlighting social hierarchies that can lead to exclusion. We aim to explore these dynamics by examining the significance of rituals in school revues. We will do this by drawing on Bourdieu’s concept of rites of institution and Lamont’s concept of symbolic boundaries.