Rule by ritual is more the norm than the exception. The Ritual, Secrecy, and Civil Society journal focuses on the study of the lasting influence of the Enlightenment, ritual, secrecy, and civil society vis-a-vis the dynamics of scholarship around the world. The journal aims to disseminate articles that question and explore the ways in which the secret initiatory societies interface with political and social history, and is part of the PSO's support of research into associations, civility, and the role of non-governmental organizations in the development of democracy.