Misa, Joshua D.

Socio 20
BA Sociology - III

Symbolic Anthropology
Victor Turner

1. Personal and academic backgrounds of Victor Turner

Victor Turner (1920 – 1983) was a British Structural Functionalist who was greatly influenced by
Emile Durkheim. He was born into middle-class family in Glasgow, Scotland. His mother, being an
actress, had him the influence of his interest in performance and drama. At first, he took up poetry
and classics at University College London and stopped for five years. Later decided to come back to
the same university and shifted to Anthropology. After graduating from in his undergraduate,
Anthropology, he had a field work in Zambia with the Rhodes-Livingstone Institute. He preceded his
Masters degree at the University of Manchester and doctorate program in the same university.

He was best regarded for his works on symbols, rituals, and rites. For this reason, he was known
as symbolic and interpretative anthropologist along with Clifford Geertz. He was able to publish four
books in line with his fieldwork. Those books were about the Ndembu, hunters, and cultivators of
manioc. According him, members of the society go through social change, different stages and
transition from one to another (state of liminality). It might be the process of puberty, marriage, lost
of a love one, and etc. During the transition phase, for Turner, is complex. Ambiguous, in a sense,
that an individual experiences ambiguity and unusual undertakings. Moreover that individual is
neither both of the former nor latter phases.

Because of this and his other contributions, Victor Turner is acknowledged as one of the most
influential and respected anthropologist of the 20 th century.

Had a rift between the Manchester because of his religious affiliation.

2. Definition of symbols and why they matter (particularly how Turner used them to explain society and
culture)

Victor Turner, famous for his interpretative anthropology, furthered Durkheim’s social solidarity
in symbols within societies and culture. He minced the meaning of symbols as means of social
cohesion. On a high volume and differentiated society, it needs solidarity that is organic. As a
collective consciousness, symbols convey a message. For this particular reason, Turner expounded
the sociological significance of symbols within society. Symbols are used to connect members of
society. For the members, it is through symbols they are able to communicate and understand.
Moreover, these symbols are established to have social order.

Defined symbol as blazer, landmark

Symbol creates another symbol – symbols are explicit and effects are implicit. These symbols
have gesture, then becomes a behavior, then ritual.
Misa, Joshua D. Socio 20
BA Sociology - III

Turner even deepened his Symbolic anthropology by providing three ways of explaining
symbols: exegetical meaning, operational meaning, and positional meaning. Exegetical meaning is
used in critically explaining or interpreting symbols. This involves the overall characteristics of
symbols that include the medium, shape, color, cultural relevance, and other criteria. Operational
meaning is answering how the symbols are being used. The positional meaning is explaining symbols
to understand other symbols.

His interest in the performing arts, stage plays, and visual art also played are part of his
contribution in Anthropology. According to him, rituals are social dramas. The society and culture is
shaped by the long process of social dramas. In his book Forest of Symbols, Turned elaborated his
Symbolic Anthropology in rituals and ceremony. Rituals persist in society because they provide social
cohesion.

We are living in a world where symbols are created.

3. Examples of symbols and their meaning found in religion, family and kinship, and economy.

Religion: The Rosary of the Roman Catholic

Exegetical Meaning: The rosary is a set of beads that is a loop with 5 sets of 10 small beads and 1 big
bead, a centerpiece, and connecting to the centerpiece is a pendant with 2 big beads and 3 small
beads in between the big beads then a cross.

Operational Meaning: The rosary is used in an act of prayer particularly to the Mary, as the mother
of Jesus. It has prayers that are corresponding to significant events in the lives of Jesus and Mary.

Positional meaning: Different interpretations can come up when seeing a rosary. Others would say it
is a necklace, a fashion statement. Muslims would say the rosary is like a Subha.

Economics: The Currency

Exegetical Meaning: The currency is a letter drawn a vertical or horizontal line, printed in a sheet
whether it may be made of paper, cloth, or plastic.

Operational Meaning: Currency is used as a medium of exchange of goods and services.

Positional Meaning: Before the medium of exchange for goods and services are also goods and
services. Currency is a modern exchange of barter systems.

Economics: Graphs

Exegetical Meaning: Graphs are illustrations based on a given data set. They are normally present in
an ordered and curated style.

Operational Meaning: Graphs are used to depict the increase, decrease, or breakeven performance
of a business establishment. It is one of the basis for a business’ action plan.
Misa, Joshua D. Socio 20
BA Sociology - III

Positional Meaning: Graph is a piece of creative artwork showcasing vertical, horizontal, and/or
vertical lines. It is highlighting growth, loss, or consistency with contrasting or complimenting colors.

Family and Kinship: Wedding Rings

Exegetical Meaning: Wedding rings are a couple's rings usually made of metal. These are worn on
the left ring finger by married couples.

Operational Meaning: Wedding rings symbolizes the unwavering love and devotion of married
couples.

Positional Meaning: People having the same accessory of preference. They are twinning, matching
rings on the same left ring finger.

4. Relate some personal experiences where symbols (at least three) have been significant to you and
your group, then explain them from the perspective of symbolic anthropology.

Encircling With Red In A Test Paper

Exegetical Meaning: The teacher draws a circle on the test paper with the use of a red-inked pen.

Operational Meaning: As students, receiving a red circle means we got a wrong answer and
reducing the possibility of having a higher grade. It is an evaluation and a remark of the teacher if
the students have picked up the lessons.

Positional Meaning: Drawing a circle is an artwork, overlaying drawings on the test paper. For the
Japanese culture, encircling an answer means right, satisfactory.

Face Mask

Exegetical Meaning: A faces mask is a piece of cloth that is worn by an individual. An individual
wears this to cover his/her nose and mouth.

Operational Meaning: Speaking of timeliness, when someone wears a face mask that person is
protecting his-/herself from the covid-19.

Positional Meaning: The government mandating all citizens to wear a face mask to minimize the
spread of the virus. Moreover, wearing a face mask is also preventing the people surrounding the
individual to be infected. It is an outer layer protection.

Traffic Lights For Drivers And Pedestrians

Exegetical Meaning: Traffic Lights are set of round Red, Yellow/Orange, and Green lights that are
situated just above the road for drivers and pedestrians to see. These lights are usually positioned
vertically and are placed in an oval-shape pane.
Misa, Joshua D. Socio 20
BA Sociology - III

Operational Meaning: Traffic Lights are used to regulate the traffic for vehicular flow and
pedestrian passage. Red means stop while Yellow/Orange and Green means to wait and go,
respectively.

Positional Meaning: The traffic lights posted for an orderly flow of vehicles and pedestrians to
prevent collisions on the road.

Circumcision;