Initiation, Selbst-Folter und Folter.
Begriffe und Ansätze in der Ethnologie, pp.67-98
Bibliographic information see: Burschel, Peter, Götz Distelrath & Sven Lembke (Ed.) 2000
Initiation, self-torture, and torture.
Notions and approaches in anthropology
This paper first discusses reasons why torture has not been a prominent topic in cultural/social anthropology so far, and then argues for a rather open definition of torture for anthropological and comparative purposes (as opposed to more narrow ones in historical science, such as by Edward Peters). Furthermore, some anthropological studies on, and approaches to, torture are discussed. Aspects of "inscription" in the process of torture are analyzed in their relation to functions of memory in (former) illiterate societies, leading to a consideration of initiation and its functions. Then, aspects of anthropological theories of exchange and also of passage rites are used to assess the torture phenomenon from an anthropological point of view, exemplified in a case taken from texts by D.A.F. de Sade. Finally, a "continuum of human interaction" aims at establishing an understanding of torture as a (possible, not necessary) final stage of a continuum of an escalation of influencing in human interaction beginning with voluntary interaction via induced change, dominance, force (mental and physical), until the last area of the continuum is reached, characterized by violent action leading to death.
Keywords: torture, anthropology and torture, initiation, self-torture, memory, inscription, passage rites, violence, action and influencing, influencing, structural violence, dominance, subjugation, power, action and violence
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| ||||||
