Death by Publicity: U.S. Freemasonry and the Public Drama of Secrecy

Abstract

In this essay I argue that the decline of Freemasonry in the United States is homologous to a general decline in civic engagement. An examination of the centuries-old ritual and symbolism of the fraternity reveals a dynamic relationship between promise making and secrecy that has sustained Masonry for almost 300 years. In the context of its dwindling membership, I argue that recent attempts by Masonic leaders to promote the fraternity in the language of transparency not only bespeak the paradoxical way in which publics are threatened by publicity, but also suggest that a sense of mystery is necessary to sustain a public over time.

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