Author(s)

Deqi Luo ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China

Corresponding Author

Deqi Luo

ABSTRACT

This paper systematically sorts out the developmental context of symbolic anthropology, covering its theoretical origins, core theories, later expansions, and localized practices in China. In terms of international research, it traces the ideological foundations of symbolic anthropology in multidisciplinary fields such as philosophy, sociology, and psychology, focuses on explaining Victor Turner's ritual process theory, Clifford Geertz's "thick description" method, and Mary Douglas's classification theory, and outlines its new developments in political symbolism and the integration of practice theory. For domestic research, following the main line of "theoretical introduction, local verification, and innovative breakthrough," it analyzes the specific practices of symbolic anthropology in the fields of traditional Chinese ritual studies, ethnic minority rituals, material culture, and contemporary symbolic changes, demonstrating its adaptability and innovation in interpreting Chinese culture. Finally, the paper summarizes the theoretical value of symbolic anthropology in explaining cultural meanings and proposes future directions such as emphasizing practical relevance, standardizing meaning interpretation, expanding analytical dimensions, and promoting the construction of local theories, aiming to provide references for the sustainable development of this field.

KEYWORDS

Symbolic Anthropology; Ritual Analysis; Localization Research; Cultural Interpretation

CITE THIS PAPER

Deqi Luo. The Theoretical Evolution and Local Practice of Symbolic Anthropology. Journal of Sociology and Ethnology (2026). Vol. 8, No.1, 16-25. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/jsoce.2026.080103.

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