Journal of Ritual Studies

Journal of Ritual Studies
Title	Journal of Ritual Studies
Discipline	Religious studies; Anthropology; Folklore
Language	English
Abbreviation	JRS
Publisher	Independent academic press
Country	United States
History	1987–present
Frequency	Biannual
Issn	0889-5371

Journal of Ritual Studies is a peer-reviewed academic periodical focusing on the analysis of ritual behavior, ceremonial performance, and liturgical practice across cultures. It publishes interdisciplinary research that situates ritual in relation to social structure, symbolism, and historical processes. Contributors have included scholars affiliated with institutions such as Harvard University, Oxford University, University of Chicago, Columbia University, and University of California, Berkeley.

History

The journal was founded in 1987 during a period of renewed interest in ritual studies influenced by debates at Durham University, Princeton University, Yale University, University of Cambridge, and Stanford University. Early editorial figures drew on theoretical frameworks associated with scholars at University College London, The New School, University of Oxford, McGill University, and University of Pennsylvania. Over subsequent decades the journal intersected with research agendas promoted at conferences hosted by American Anthropological Association, American Academy of Religion, British Association for Jewish Studies, International Association for the History of Religions, and European Association of Social Anthropologists.

Scope and Content

The journal publishes work on ritual phenomena ranging from indigenous ceremonial practice studied by researchers connected to Australian National University, University of Auckland, and University of Otago to liturgical scholarship tied to Vatican II studies and authors from Pontifical Gregorian University and Princeton Theological Seminary. Articles often engage comparative material drawn from case studies in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, referencing fieldwork traditions at SOAS University of London, Leiden University, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Universidade de São Paulo. Thematic coverage has included pilgrimage research associated with Camino de Santiago, mortuary rites discussed alongside work on Tutankhamun, seasonal festivals examined in relation to Carnival, and political ritual studies that intersect with events like the French Revolution and October Revolution.

Editorial Structure and Peer Review

Editorial governance has featured boards composed of scholars from institutions including Duke University, University of Michigan, University of Toronto, Brown University, and Rutgers University. The referee process is double-blind, drawing reviewers with expertise from departments and centers such as Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, Royal Ontario Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Bard College. Guest editors for special issues have been recruited from organizations like Wesleyan University, Indiana University Bloomington, University of Edinburgh, University of Melbourne, and University of Leiden.

Publication Details

The journal is produced biannually and distributed through academic channels that include library collections at Library of Congress, British Library, Bibliothèque nationale de France, National Library of Australia, and Vatican Library. Print and digital formats are available to subscribers via platforms used by institutions such as JSTOR, EBSCO, ProQuest, Project MUSE, and Google Books archives. Production standards align with those of presses including Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Routledge, Bloomsbury, and Brill.

Impact and Reception

Scholars have cited the journal in debates about ritual theory alongside works from authors connected to École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University of Chicago Press, Princeton University Press, and MIT Press. Its articles are frequently discussed at panels convened by Social Science Research Council, National Endowment for the Humanities, Humboldt Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and European Research Council. Reviews in venues such as Times Literary Supplement, American Historical Review, Journal of Anthropological Research, Religious Studies Review, and History of Religions have noted its contribution to interdisciplinary dialogue.

Notable Articles and Special Issues

The journal has published influential essays engaging with themes advanced by figures associated with Victor Turner-inspired scholarship at University of Virginia, ritual performance critiques resonant with Clifford Geertz-aligned interpretive approaches from Institute for Advanced Study, and political ritual analyses echoing work from Michel Foucault-informed circles at Collège de France. Special issues have focused on topics including pilgrimage (guest editors from University of Notre Dame and University of Salamanca), rites of passage (contributors from University of Cape Town and Makerere University), and urban ritual economies (researchers from New York University and University of Hong Kong). Landmark articles have engaged historical sources such as The Book of Common Prayer, discussions of Shinto festivals connected to Ise Grand Shrine, and ethnographies of ceremonies at sites like Machu Picchu.

Indexing and Abstracting

The journal is indexed in major bibliographic services and databases including Arts & Humanities Citation Index, Scopus, Anthropology Plus, ATLA Religion Database, and Sociological Abstracts. Library cataloging entries appear in systems used by OCLC WorldCat, British Library Integrated Catalogue, National Library of Medicine, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, and Biblioteca Nacional de España.

Category:Academic journals Category:Anthropology journals Category:Religious studies journals