CONDITIONS FOR A SUCCESSFUL STATUS ELEVATION CEREMONY

Status elevation ceremonies are the mirrored parallel processes of Gar finkel's (1956) status degradation ceremonies, applied to the acquisit ion of a higher status or preferred identity, resulting from elaborate mythological rituals. Spoiled, stigmatized identities are prime popul ations for the deconstruction and reconstruction of new identities. Ga rfinkel's steps are extended, analyzed, and reapplied to a community o f actors with degraded identities who seek a persona of a more sociall y acceptable, elevated status. The interactionist processes of rites o f passage are applied to these reconstituted identities. Situated acti ons and vocabularies of motives are central features to adopting new l ines of conduct.