Commentary: Why has the queen’s death moved Americans? Ritual plays a huge part in our lives

Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8, the power of ritual has been front and center. It’s been moving to witness, and even some people who are skeptical of the monarchy — including Americans — have reacted strongly. Why?

For sociologists like me, the answer has to do with the fundamentals of how human communities persist. For any group, death