Turner’s Liminality Theory

Turner’s Liminality Theory describes a transitional phase in rituals where individuals temporarily leave their usual roles and social identities, entering a state of ambiguity and openness. During this liminal stage, people are neither here nor there, which allows for reflection, transformation, and the opportunity to adopt new roles or perspectives. Once the phase ends, they re-enter society with a different status or understanding. This concept helps explain how cultural rites of passage, like weddings or initiation ceremonies, facilitate personal and social change through structured periods of betwixt and between.