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Dancing in the Streets

Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy
Author Barbara Ehrenreich
Country United States
Language English
Subject Social history
Publisher Metropolitan Books
Publication date
January 1, 2006
Media type Hardcover
Pages 336
ISBN
OCLC 70718693
394.26 22
LC Class GT3940 .E47 2007

Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy is a book authored by Barbara Ehrenreich.

The author coins the term "collective joy" to describe group events which involve music, synchronized movement, costumes, and a feeling of loss of self. There is no precise word in English to describe the phenomenon.

The book describes cycles of creation and suppression of collective joy events. The events generally arise spontaneously and are regarded as dangerous (see Collective hysteria, Riot). The powerful elements of society gradually convert the participants into spectators. This conversion drains the events of their power, and the cycle begins anew. The author describes Western Society as particularly lacking in such events and describes current and recent examples of Collective Joy events.

Collective Joy festivals can be found in many localities, though seldom known as such.


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