Final answer:
Secular rites of passage in the U.S. include graduation ceremonies, quinceañeras, and civic ceremonies like presidential inaugurations. They mark transitions in life without religious context and aid in identity formation and social cohesion by following van Gennep's stages of separation, transition, and incorporation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Secular rites of passage are cultural ceremonies that mark significant transitions in an individual's life without a religious context. In the United States, examples of secular rites of passages include the graduation ceremony signifying the transition from student to graduate, the celebration of a quinceañera which is a coming-of-age celebration for 15-year-old girls in many Latin American communities, and civic ceremonies such as presidential inaugurations that often intermix secular and religious elements. These rituals are important for communal solidarity and transition, functioning to clearly delineate shifts in status, roles, and responsibilities within the community.
During a graduation, individuals move from the status of students to that of graduates, symbolically moving into adulthood or a professional life. A quinceañera is a form of cultural rite of passage that transitions a girl into womanhood, marked by a festive celebration. Civic ceremonies such as the instating of government officials often use national symbols and practices to reinforce unity and the sacred stature of the nation-state.
These secular rituals play a vital role in identity formation and social cohesion, providing a means for society to recognize and celebrate pivotal moments in an individual's life, and often incorporate elements from van Gennep's stages of rites of passage: separation, transition, and incorporation.