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Distributed Rituals: Web3 as an Emergent Field of Digital Religion.

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Title: Distributed Rituals: Web3 as an Emergent Field of Digital Religion.
Authors: Chaharborj, Mohammad Modabber (AUTHOR)
Source: Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science. Jun2026, Vol. 61 Issue 2, p569-595. 27p.
Subjects: Ritual, Actor-network theory, Blockchains, Web 3.0, Economic systems, Ritualism
Abstract: Web3 ecosystems represent an emergent field of digital religion where decentralized infrastructures—spanning smart contracts, token economies, and symbolic interfaces—actively generate novel forms of ritual life. These rituals, deeply embedded in algorithmic processes and economic incentives, cultivate collective identities, symbolic hierarchies, and affective economies marked by hope and betrayal. To interpret these dynamics, this article proposes distributed rituals analysis (DRA), a comprehensive framework synthesizing lived religion, ritualization theory, and actor-network theory. Drawing on eighteen months of ethnographic engagement across diverse Web3 communities —including non-fungible tokens, decentralized autonomous organizations, and staking protocols—I illustrate how decentralized practices become ritualized through temporal orchestration, symbolic differentiation, and distributed agency. Reflexive participation further reveals the researcher's complex positionality as both observer and participant. DRA provides conceptual and methodological clarity for exploring emergent rituals in decentralized environments, illuminating how digital infrastructures reconfigure sacredness and collective meaning-making. This framework also lays the groundwork for future comparative inquiries into ritual forms across decentralized and hybrid spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science is the property of Open Library of Humanities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Distributed Rituals: Web3 as an Emergent Field of Digital Religion.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chaharborj%2C+Mohammad+Modabber%22">Chaharborj, Mohammad Modabber</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ritual%22">Ritual</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Actor-network+theory%22">Actor-network theory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Blockchains%22">Blockchains</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Web+3%2E0%22">Web 3.0</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Economic+systems%22">Economic systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ritualism%22">Ritualism</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Web3 ecosystems represent an emergent field of digital religion where decentralized infrastructures—spanning smart contracts, token economies, and symbolic interfaces—actively generate novel forms of ritual life. These rituals, deeply embedded in algorithmic processes and economic incentives, cultivate collective identities, symbolic hierarchies, and affective economies marked by hope and betrayal. To interpret these dynamics, this article proposes distributed rituals analysis (DRA), a comprehensive framework synthesizing lived religion, ritualization theory, and actor-network theory. Drawing on eighteen months of ethnographic engagement across diverse Web3 communities —including non-fungible tokens, decentralized autonomous organizations, and staking protocols—I illustrate how decentralized practices become ritualized through temporal orchestration, symbolic differentiation, and distributed agency. Reflexive participation further reveals the researcher's complex positionality as both observer and participant. DRA provides conceptual and methodological clarity for exploring emergent rituals in decentralized environments, illuminating how digital infrastructures reconfigure sacredness and collective meaning-making. This framework also lays the groundwork for future comparative inquiries into ritual forms across decentralized and hybrid spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science is the property of Open Library of Humanities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.16995/zygon.24562
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        PageCount: 27
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      – SubjectFull: Ritual
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Actor-network theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Blockchains
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      – SubjectFull: Web 3.0
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      – SubjectFull: Economic systems
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      – SubjectFull: Ritualism
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              Text: Jun2026
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