traditionalism

Traditionalism is a broad term used across disciplines to describe an emphasis on tradition as a guiding element in belief systems, social life, and institutional forms. It can refer to a general attitude that privileges inherited customs over novelty, as well as to movements that seek to preserve or revive traditional structures in religion, politics, and culture.

In cultural and social theory, traditionalism treats traditions as repositories of collective knowledge and identity, transmitted through generations via family, ritual, law, and customary practice. Proponents argue that tradition provides continuity, social cohesion, moral norms, and a sense of belonging, while critics warn that it can resist necessary change or legitimize inequality if inherited hierarchies go unexamined.

In religious and philosophical contexts, traditionalism often designates a strand known as perennialism or the Traditionalist School. Proponents such as René Guénon, Frithjof Schuon, and Titus Burckhardt argue that deeper sacred truths underlie all major traditions, and that modern secular culture has lost access to these truths. They emphasize initiation, symbol, and metaphysics as guides back to transcendent realities. Some writers associated with political or cultural Traditionalism have been controversial for political positions linked to reactionary currents; however, traditionalist thought itself spans a range of aims and emphases.

In political and cultural discourse, traditionalism can denote a preference for established norms, social hierarchies, and ritual continuity over rapid reform. It is distinct from religious fundamentalism and from liberal or progressive conservatism, though there can be overlap. Critics contend that traditionalism can naturalize exclusion, impede social progress, or justify power relations by appeal to custom.