Honor and Grace in Anthropology

274 Pages·1992·12.05 MB·English

by  J. G. Peristiany

Littlehasbeenwrittenabouthonorin thesocial
sciencesandalmostnothingaboutgrace.Yethonor
hascausedmoredeathsthantheplague,andgrace
iswhatwe allyearnfor, whetherin theform of
favor,luck, pardon,gratuity,orsalvation.
Thiscollectionofessaysdevelopsalineof
thoughtin anthropologywhichwasopenedin the
1960sbythesameeditors(andsomeofthesame
contributors)in HonorandShame:TheValuesof
Mediterranean Society.Theessays,halfofthem
historicalandhalfcontemporary,dealwith
differentaspectsofhonorandgrace,andthe
strategiesandtransactionsbywhichtheycan be
obtained.TheyrangefromtheFrenchroyalrituals
oftheMiddleAgestothemurderousfeudsand
peace-makingritesoftheRif;theyshowhow
differentpeoplesandperiodshavefacedthe
problemsofpower,legitimacy,purity,divinity,
andpersonaldestiny.Theconcludingchapter
suggeststhatanthropology,whichignoredhonor
untilaquarterofacenturyago,shouldnolonger
ignoregrace,whosevariedconnotationsprovide
thebasisofreligiousdoctrinesaswell asthe
commoncoinageoftheexchangeoffavors and
thanks.
Little hasbeen written abouthonor inthe socialsciencesandalmost
nothing about grace.Yethonor hascaused moredeathsthan theplague
and grace iswhatweallyearnfor, whetherintheform offavor, luck,
pardon,gratuity,orsalvation.
Thiscollectionofessaysdevelopsalineof thought inanthropology
which wasopened inthe 1960sby theeditors(andsome ofthe same
contributors) inHonorand shame: thevaluesofaMediterranean
society.The essays,halfof them historical and halfcontemporary,deal
with different aspectsofhonor and grace, and thestrategiesand trans
actionsby which theycan beobtained. Theyrange from theFrench
royal ritualsof theMiddle Agesto themurderousfeudsand peace
making ritesofthe Rif; they showhow different peoplesand periods
havefaced theproblemsofpower,legitimacy,purity,divinity,and
personal destiny.The concludingchaptersuggeststhat anthropology,
which ignored honor untilaquarterofacentury ago,shouldnolonger
ignore grace, whosevaried connotationsprovide thebasisofreligious
doctrinesaswell asthecommon coinageof theexchangeoffavorsand
thanks.

CambridgeStudies in Social and CulturalAnthropology
Editors:Jack Goody,Stephen Gudeman,MichaelHerzfeld,
Jonathan Parry
76
Honor and grace in anthropology

HONOR AND GRACE
IN ANTHROPOLOGY
Edited by J. G. PERISTIANY
and
JULIAN PITT-RIVERS
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CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge
New York Port Chester Melbourne Sydney
PublishedbythePressSyndicateoftheUniversityofCambridge
ThePittBuilding,TrumpingtonStreet,CambridgeCB2 IRP
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©ThiscollectionJulianAlfredPitt-Rivers1992
Firstpublished 1992
PrintedinGreatBritainattheUniversityPress,Cambridge
BritishLibrarycataloguinginpublicationdata
Honorandgraceinanthropology,
I.Honour.Mediterraneanregion.Anthropological
perspectives.Studyregions:Spain.Andalusia
I.Peristiany,J.e.(JohnGeorge),1911-87
II.Pitt-Rivers,Julian
306
Libraryof Congresscataloguingillpublicationdata
Honorandgraceinanthropology/editedbyJ.G.Peristiany
andJulianPitt-Rivers.
p. em.- (Cambridgestudiesinsocialandcultural
anthropology:76)
Includesindex.
ISBN0521390559
I.MediterraneanRegion- Socialconditions.2.Honor.
I.Peristiany,JohnG.(JohnGeorge), 1911-87.
II.Pitt-Rivers,JulianAlfred.III.Series.
HN380.M4H661991
303.3'72.09I822---dc2090-1861CIP
ISBN052I390559hardback
Beforethisbook had gone topressJohn Peristiany wassmittenbya
suddenand unsuspected illnessto which he succumbed.Let itremain,
therefore,asamonument toaman to whom all Mediterraneanscholars
owe much.