Sacred Revenge in Oceania (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781108717328)

Revenge is an important motivation in human affairs relating to conflict and violence, and it is a notable feature in many societies within Oceania, where revenge is traditionally a sacred duty to the dead whose spirits demand it. Revenge instantiates a norm of reciprocity in the cosmos, ensuring a balance between violent and peaceful sequences of ritual action. Revenge further remains an important hidden factor in processes of violence beyond Oceania, revealing deep human propensities for retaliatory acts and the tendency to elevate these into principles of legitimacy. Sacred revenge may also be transcended through practices of wealth exchange.

Author: Pamela J. Stewart, Andrew Strathern
ISBN-10: 1108717322
ISBN-13: 9781108717328
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 11/29/2018
Pages: 75
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.17lbs
Size: 7.00h x 5.00w x 0.17d