Rites of Power: Symbolism, Ritual, and Politics since the Middle Ages

Rites of Power provides a sweeping overview of the symbolism of power from tenth—century France to modern Britain. Approaching their topic from an eclectic range of intellectual traditions, the authors turn the study of politics, social relations, and cultural creation into a single endeavor.

The essays begin with three assumptions: that all societies are ordered and governed by "master fictions" (divine right, equality for all) which make political hierarchy appear natural; that political r...