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The Ritual Inscription of a Martial Worldview – an Analysis of Liturgical, Developmental and Ecological Dynamics of Adaptation The Ritual Inscription of a Martial Worldview – An Analysis of Liturgical, Developmental and Ecological Dynamics of Adaptation Robin Nürnberger CD MDiv, MSW, RSW (ON) A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctorate in Philosophy degree in Religious Studies Department of Classic and Religious Studies Faculty of Arts University of Ottawa © Robin Nürnberger, Ottawa, Canada, 2018 The Ritual Inscription of a Martial Worldview – An Analysis of Liturgical, Developmental and Ecological Dynamics of Adaptation Abstract This project describes the role of ritual in the basic entrainment processes of Canadian soldiers. Building on the ecological systems theories of Urie Bronfenbrenner and Roy Rappaport, this project construes human adaptation to occur within multiple interdependent planes of ordered biological, sociostructural, psychosocial and symbolic (even transcendent) meanings and interactions within integrated social ecologies or “living systems.” Rappaport’s theory supports the argument that invariant, embodied actions and impulses not encoded by ritual performers establish social order, values, motivations, competencies, dispositions and representational or symbolic meanings— understood within this project as worldview—circulating within and regulating integrated human ecologies. Ordered sequences of invariant actions and impulses have also come to be conveyed within human phylogenic and ontogenetic developmental processes. This project specifically explores the hypothesis that embodied ritual dynamics pervade the basic entrainment rite of Canadian soldiers. The analysis draws on the ritual theory of Rappaport and the psychosocial developmental theory of Erik Erikson to describe the manner in which innate social regulating impulses and liturgically ordered ritual processes are exploited, in conjunction with predictable human psychosocial developmental imperatives, to build foundational martial dispositions, a spontaneous impulse to radical solidarity and a robust, homogeneous and multivocalic worldview in Canadian soldiers. Such a worldview is adaptive to all aspects of service within the Canadian Armed Forces. The rudimentary martial worldview inscribed upon recruit soldiers and officer candidates forms the foundational background to all subsequent martial meaning and adaptation in so far as it is collectively maintained throughout the military career. This argument maintains that a ritual analysis of adaptive meaning and solidarity among soldiers has profound implications for the structure and direction of future research investigating the persistent and well documented rates of distress, maladaptation and health pathology among serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. © Robin Nurnberger, Ottawa, Canada, 2018 Page ii of ix The Ritual Inscription of a Martial Worldview – An Analysis of Liturgical, Developmental and Ecological Dynamics of Adaptation Acknowledgements Many have guided me over several decades in the completion of this project. They have done so by being outstanding living examples of kindness, character, leadership and scholarship. Such support has been provided generously and without hesitation and has flowed from the purest motives to dedicated service and excellence within the specific vocations of each of those mentioned below. I wish to acknowledge Don Thomas CD – my first martial mentor – for his relentless example of character and military excellence. I have been equally inspired by the spiritual and academic examples of Rev. Grace Brown, Robert Williamson, John Kleiner, Steven Baldner and perhaps most profoundly, Rev. Vern Ratzlaff. As I broadened my studies into the realm of Social Work, Patricia MacKenzie, Klaus Gruber, Paul Doerksen, Ken Collier and Jeff Karabanow each contributed in critical ways that will always be remembered by me and without which I could not have progressed. I am especially grateful for the work of my dissertation examiners Marie-Francoise Guedon, Vern Neufeld-Redekop, Theodore de Bruyn and external examiner Barry Stephenson for their considerate reading and encouraging reception of my thesis submission and final defense. I maintain the utmost enduring respect for my primary dissertation supervisor Adele Reinhartz and am most grateful for her support, clear direction and encouragement at key moments of decision – even before I had formally entered into this programme of study. Comparable exemplars of scholarly acumen, integrity, wisdom and leadership are extremely rare. I wish also to recognize the contribution of Anne Vallely who provided critical guidance as co- supervisor on the anthropological aspects of my argument. The last few words I reserve for my partner Maureen O’Halloran who has always been, for me, a steadfast and patient source of encouragement in life, work and academic study. Many thanks My Dear. Lieutenant Commander Robin Nurnberger CD (Retired) Ottawa, 17 September 2018 © Robin Nurnberger, Ottawa, Canada, 2018 Page iii of ix The Ritual Inscription of a Martial Worldview – An Analysis of Liturgical, Developmental and Ecological Dynamics of Adaptation “Wholeness, holiness, and adaptiveness are closely related if not, indeed, one and the same” Roy Rappaport (Ecology, Meaning and Religion 1979 p. 234). © Robin Nurnberger, Ottawa, Canada, 2018 Page iv of ix The Ritual Inscription of a Martial Worldview – An Analysis of Liturgical, Developmental and Ecological Dynamics of Adaptation Table of Contents Abstract……………….……..………………………………………………….………............ii Acknowledgements..…………………………………………………………………….…...iii First Word..………….…………………………………………………………….iv Table of Contents……………………………………..…..……………….……..……………v Prologue……..…………..………..………………………………………………....…….…….1 Section I – Foundations………..……………………………………………………….……9 Chapter 1 – Introduction…..……………..……………………………………….........….10 1.1 Indoctrination, Transformation, Death and Rebirth – What Basic Training Is Not….……..11 1.2 Entrainment as Adaptation to an Environment, System or Rite of Passage………………...14 1.3 Enculturated Values and Priorities as Worldview – A Critical Concept………............…...15 1.4 Martial Worldview as Adaptive, Resilient Hedge Against Anomie………………….…….17 1.5 Development of an Hypothesis About the Role of Ritual in Martial Enculturation….…….23 1.6 Descriptive Approach and Analysis Within This Project…………………………….…….26 1.7 Embodied Meaning, Tacit Competence and a Critical Phenomenological Observation.......30 1.8 Significance of the Project ……..……………………………………….……………….…32 1.9 Chapter Arrangement……………………………………………….………………..…..…41 Chapter 2 – Analytical Framework and Methodology – A Positioned Description of Cultural and Ritual Processes………………..……….…………........44 2.1 General Methodological Approach…….…………………………………………….……..44 2.2 A Positioned Insider Participant’s Description….…………………………….....................45 2.3 Methodological Challenges – Theoretical Framework and Data Selection………..............53 2.4 Linear, Functional, Synchronic Considerations and Levels of Analysis…………...………53 2.5 Ecological, Evolutionary, Ontogenetic and Phylogenetic Levels of Analysis……………..56 2.6 Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………………...………59 © Robin Nurnberger, Ottawa, Canada, 2018 Page v of ix The Ritual Inscription of a Martial Worldview – An Analysis of Liturgical, Developmental and Ecological Dynamics of Adaptation Chapter 3 – Literature Review…………………………………………………..………60 3.1 Literature Addressing Liturgical, Developmental and Ecological Processes of Martial Entrainment…………..…………………………………………….…………………………….60 3.2 Cognitive, Symbolic and Embodied Aspects of Culture or Individually Enculturated Worldviews…………….……………………………………………………….…….………….70 3.3 Ritual Processes of Ethology and Primary Socialisation…..………………….…………….80 3.4 Perfected or Invariant Performance and Embodied Ritual Practice, Techniques of the Body……………………………………………………………………………………………...89 3.5 Ritual Features of Authority, Responsibility, Canon and Sanctity …………………………91 3.6 Ritual and Ceremonial Processes of Symbolic Projection and Collective Consciousness.…93 Section II – Ritual Inscription of a Martial Worldview – Correlated Features, Mechanisms and Dynamics…………....….........................................................................97 II.1 Introduction to Section II – Overview, Critical Concepts and Tensions…………….…….97 II.2 Rituals Processes of Socialisation or Re-socialisation…………………….……………….98 II.3 Rituals and Rites………………………………………………...........................................98 II.4 Critical Theoretical Concepts about Worldviews and Liturgical Orders of Rites……........98 II.5 Other Ritual Features of Inscribed Meaning………………………..…………………….105 II.6 Rite of Passage or Human Developmental Process – An Enduring Tension………..........106 II.7 Martial Entrainment as a Synergy of Ritualised Developmental, Liturgical, Symbolic and Ecological Processes……………………………………………………………………………111 II.8 Refining and More Precisely Situating the Target of Analysis…………….……………..115 Chapter 4 – Ritual Processes of Transition, Stratification, Primal Socialisation, Foundational Developmental Processes, Group Solidarity and Martial Morality………………………………………………............................................117 4.1 Critical Distinctions………………………………………………………………………..117 4.2 Transition Between Ritual Domains and Cultures – Symbols, Oaths and Putative Options – Deferred Affiliations…………………………………………………………….……………...120 © Robin Nurnberger, Ottawa, Canada, 2018 Page vi of ix The Ritual Inscription of a Martial Worldview – An Analysis of Liturgical, Developmental and Ecological
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