Liminality is a state of being, a threshold between categorization or structures; it is that which cannot be distinctly classified by culture. It is a state of being “in between”, and because it is outside of culture’s normative order it can often be feared or respected. Liminality is central to the ritual process as it is a transitional stage. It is the part of a ritual when the patient has started crossing the threshold but has not yet completed. In liminality, identity is absent. Turner describes liminal entities as “neither here nor there; they are betwixt and between the positions assigned and arrayed by law, custom, convention, and ceremonial” (Turner 95). As such, liminality is the place where there is no law, custom, convention, or ceremony. It is the place where these unclassifiable entities reside.
Communitas is a relationship between multiple liminal entities. It is a community of the marginalized. Communitas is in opposition to structure. What becomes of communitas is an anti-structural society, not based on hierarchy but on equality. It is a structureless embodiment reliant on relationships between the liminal. Turner describes communitas as “a relationship between concrete, historical, idiosyncratic individuals”(131). These individuals come together based off their own idiosyncrasies and form an unregulated interaction. The difference between liminality and communitas is that liminality is a state of being, while communitas is a relationship. Communitas is an unstructured community made up of liminal entities; it is the convergence of liminality.
Turner states that liminal entities often are represented as possessing nothing, and are dependant and often must accept punishment without rebuke. They may appear as inhuman, or be naked. This signifies that as liminal beings they are outside of social structure and thus hold no rank or position. They are often passive in nature and humble in behavior. Due to this liminality and lack of position, liminal entities often feel camaraderie between themselves; they experience communitas. They experience sexlessness, anonymity. They are silent, submissive, and have sexual continence (Turner 95).
Conquered people often become liminal entities and are marginalized. Due to their liminality they form a communitas, which Turner describes as having a mystical power (Turner 109). Bergson also speaks of how conquered people have a strange affinity to preserve their traditions and culture despite the opposition of their conquerors, or an outgroup. These “inferior” people come to be symbolized as a “sentiment for humanity” (Turner 111); they are a communitas and as such they become symbolized and in symbolism holds power. They become the underdogs, and everyone has a natural affinity to root for an underdog. By being liminal and forming a communitas they are conferred a mystical force which strengthens their resolve. They are no longer confined to structure, they are given a cultural freedom in their marginalization and conquering.
An army recruit is a neophyte and once he/she begins army training, their ritual begins. They are liminal beings. They are undergoing a ritual named army training, and they are betwixt and between a soldier and not being a soldier. Furthermore, the way in which they must behave reflects the common characteristics of liminal entities. They hold no rank, position, or status. They often are punished and cannot offer rebuke. Because of their liminality, they experience communitas and have feelings of camaraderie due to their similar stripping of statuses. The recruits come from different backgrounds and economic situations, but they all end up in communitas due to their liminality.
“Subjugated autochthones, small nations, court jesters, holy mendicants, good Samaritans, millenarian movements, ‘dharma bums,’ matrilaterality in patrilineal systems, patrilaterality in matrilineal systems, and monastic orders” (Turner 125), social phenomena which all have a thing in common. Each fall within the liminal spaces, are marginalized , or live at the lowest status of social structure (125). All these examples are an outgroup (the marginalized) residing within an ingroup. They are humorous beings of low class in a serious and noble court, a small country among large ones, a person who is despised for his religion and considered impure but only acts in pure deeds. For their classifications these people and groups are looked down upon, because they are not within the normal and positive social structure. They defy this and due to their abnormality they become a social phenomena, and as thus are liminal entities/communitas. This liminality of the peoples and groups causes them to be respected and focused on; their liminality gives them power.