Disenchantment

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Disenchantment (German: Entzauberung) is a term in the social sciences used to describe the cultural rationalization and devaluation of mysticism apparent in modern society. The concept was originally coined by Max Weber to describe the character of modernized, bureaucratic, secularized Western society, where scientific understanding is more highly valued than belief, and where processes are oriented toward rational goals. It is not unrelated to the notion of desacralization, whereby the structures and institutions that previously channeled spiritual belief into rituals that promoted collective identities came under attack and waned in popularity. According to Henri Hubert and Marcel Mauss, the ritual of sacrifice involved two processes: sacralization and desacralization. The first process endows a profane offering with sacred properties -- consecration -- which provides a bridge of communication between the worlds of the sacred and profane. Once the sacrifice has been made, the ritual must be desacralized in order to return the worlds of the sacred and profane to their proper places (Bell 1997, 26).

Disenchantment operates on a macro-level, rather than the micro-level described above. It also destroys part of the process whereby the chaotic social elements that require sacralization in the first place continue with mere knowledge as their antidote. Thereby disenchantment can be related to Durkheim's concept of anomie: an un-mooring of the individual from the ties that bind in society.^[1]

See also

• Iron cage
• Modernity
• The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
• Rationalization (sociology)
• Modernization
• Urbanization
• Tripartite classification of authority

References

1. ^ Bell, Catherine (1997). Ritual: Perspectives and Dimensions. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

This sociology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Max Weber Sociology of religion Sociology stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат? Door-in-the-face technique Civil Defense State Agency of Puerto Rico Look at other dictionaries: Disenchantment — Dis en*chant ment, n. [Pref. dis + enchantment: cf. F. d[ e]senchantement.] The act of disenchanting, or state of being disenchanted. Shelton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English disenchantment — [[t]dɪ̱sɪntʃɑ͟ːntmənt, tʃæ̱nt [/t]] N UNCOUNT: oft N with n Disenchantment is the feeling of being disappointed with something, and no longer believing that it is good or worthwhile. There s growing disenchantment with the Government. Syn:… …   English dictionary disenchantment — noun a) the act of disenchanting or the state of being disenchanted Disenchantment with the religion led to a sharp fall in church attendance. b) freeing from false belief or illusions …   Wiktionary disenchantment — noun the disenchantment of a first love gone sour Syn: disillusionment, disappointment, dissatisfaction, discontent, discontentedness, rude awakening; cynicism …   Thesaurus of popular words disenchantment — disenchant ► VERB ▪ make disillusioned. DERIVATIVES disenchanting adjective disenchantment noun …   English terms dictionary Disenchantment Bay — Karte der Yakutat Bay mit der Disenchantment Bay im Nordosten Die Disenchantment Bay ist eine Bucht am Fuße der Eliaskette im Südosten von Alaska am Übergang zum Panhandle. Sie grenzt bei Point Latouche an die Yakutat Bay, eine Bucht des Golfs… …   Deutsch Wikipedia Disenchantment Bay — Map of Disenchantment Bay Disenchantment Bay extends southwest for 16 km (10 mi) from the mouth of Russell Fiord to Point Latouche, at the head of Yakutat Bay in Alaska. Named Puerto del Desengano , Spanish for bay of disenchantment ,… …   Wikipedia disenchantment — noun see disenchant …   New Collegiate Dictionary disenchantment — See disenchanter. * * * …   Universalium disenchantment — Term associated with Weber, for the eradication of values, emotions, traditions, in favour of strict means–end rational calculation. According to Weber this process involves social beings using knowledge for the purpose of controlling the world,… …   Philosophy dictionary 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”