Cleansing, Contamination and Sacrifice: Three Processes of Purification

The sacred, being set apart and kratophanously powerful, must be approached appropriately. Consumer research has suggested that purity is necessary before the sacred can be approached, but has not explained how it can be achieved. Accordingly, I examine purity (a state of non-polluted perfection), and the role of three purification rituals?cleansing, contamination, and sacrifice?in preparing consumers to approach the sacred. I rely on research in Hindu Sociology to interpret interviews with Hindu consumers participating in weddings, funerals, and house-warming ceremonies. I explain how the three processes of purification operate to incrementally purify.



Citation:

Karen Fernandez (2011) ,"Cleansing, Contamination and Sacrifice: Three Processes of Purification", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 9, eds. Alan Bradshaw, Chris Hackley, and Pauline Maclaran, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 219-224.

Authors

Karen Fernandez, University of Auckland, New Zealand



Volume

E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 9 | 2011



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