Adam Baker: Turner--Liminality

Turner explains the concept of liminality as “the state of the ritual subject [becoming] ambiguous,” and both “transition” and “potentiality.” Liminality is often said to be experienced during religious ceremonies or rituals, as well as during pilgrimage, in which it offers a realignment of status to reflect equality and a separation from commonplace structure. It is quite clear how hikers experience this particular state, as spending long periods on the trail would undoubtedly make one feel removed from society and away from any connections to typical life. At the same time, however, they may feel like outsiders to the backcountry wilderness. Thus, determining where their “place” actually is may be difficult and generate the ambiguous feelings of which Turner speaks. The potentiality aspect of liminality may also offer some hope of new and different connections to develop in the future.