Honor Research Articles

Are Mediterranean Societies “Cultures of Honor?”: Prevalence and Implications of a Cultural Logic of Honor Across Three World Regions

Mediterranean societies are often labeled as “honor cultures,” in contrast with presumed “dignity” and “face” cultures of Anglo-Western and East Asian societies. We measured these cultural logics in two large-scale surveys (Studies 1 & 3: N = 2,942 students from 11 societies; Study 2: N = 5,471 adults from 14 societies). Middle Eastern and North African groups perceived honor values as the most normative in their societies, followed by Southeast European, and then Latin-European groups (who were comparable to Anglo-Western and East-Asian groups). East-Asian and Anglo-Western groups, respectively, perceived face and dignity values as most normative. Culture-level variation in perceived normative honor values, but not personal values, accounted for previously reported differences between Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean samples in several (but not all) measures of social cognitive tendencies. We conclude that a cultural logic of honor plays a role in Mediterranean societies, but labeling these societies as “honor cultures” is oversimplistic.

HONOUR, IDENTITY, AND ALIENATION IN FADIA FAQIR’S MY NAME IS SALMA (2007)

This article analyses the relationship between communal identity and honour killings in Fadia Faqir's My Name is Salma through Edward Said's humanist critique. The novel's protagonist, Salma, experiences a deep conflict between individual freedoms and a sense of social belonging. Salma's migration to the United Kingdom symbolises her escape from social norms that foresee her death and her rejection of those norms. However, her exclusion in the new individualistic society and the lack of a sense of belonging lead to her inability to adapt to life in the UK. Salma’s sense of identity is deeply tied to her past and the society in which she grew up, and therefore the individualistic freedoms offered by society cannot resolve her issues. This study revisits My Name is Salma in the context of immigration, interpreting honour killings through the lens of individual and communal identity conflict. For Salma, the individualistic society is not something to be desired, as it leads to a fragmented sense of identity. What she truly desires is to regain her communal identity and feel whole again. The article presents a new perspective on the destructive effects of honour culture and the complex intersection of individual and communal identities. Moreover, it demonstrates that the need to belong to a community can lead individuals to maintain their ties to that community despite violent social norms, such as killing or being killed for honour.

Analysis of Victim Blaming Culture in Indonesia

The culture of victim blaming in sexual violence cases is a significant problem in Indonesia, influenced by patriarchal culture and traditional norms. This study aims to analyze the influence of belief in the Just World Assumption, acceptance of Modern Rape Myths, individual moral foundations, and views on the culture of honor on victim blaming tendencies. This study used an experimental quantitative approach involving 155 participants who were selected through valid questionnaires such as the Global Belief of Just World Scale, Acceptance of Modern Myths about Sexual Aggression Scale, and Moral Foundation Questionnaire. Regression analysis showed that acceptance of Modern Rape Myths and Fairness/Reciprocity in Moral Foundation were the main predictors of victim blaming in Indonesia, while factors such as Authority/Subversion, Purity/Sanctity, and honor culture had no significant influence. The results of this study confirm the importance of a culture-based approach to reduce victim blaming culture in Indonesia, involving stakeholders such as religious leaders and the media to effectively change people's perceptions.

Violence in the Western Balkans

The main goal of this study is to reconsider violence in Western Balkan countries (WBC) compared to global and European averages, questioning negative stereotypes about the Balkan peoples. By examining recent homicide rate data, a widely accepted indicator, the paper positions violence rates in WBC relative to these benchmarks. Additionally, it investigates socioeconomic and cultural factors contributing to variations in homicide rates, analysing elements such as poverty, social inequality, unemployment, and the Global Peace Index. The present study also addresses other forms of violence, including femicide and organized crime rates. Furthermore, it explores the cultural context, particularly the declining influence of the traditional culture of honour historically associated with blood feuds in the pastoral regions of the WBC. This comprehensive approach aims to foster a nuanced understanding of the relationship between sociocultural factors and regional violence.

Sons of Honour, Honour of Sons Expectations of Chastity and Restrictions of Marriage to Identify Boys with Culture of Honour in Sweden

ABSTRACT In contrast to much previous research on culture of honour, this article focuses on sons and contributes theoretically and empirically to an enhanced understanding of boys. The article explores two indicators of culture of honour based on the boys’ perceptions of their parents’ expectations: 1) restrictions of marriage: not allowed to freely choose future marriage partner and 2) expectations of chastity: expected to remain chaste until marriage. The analysis is based on a quantitative survey of 15-year-olds in metropolitan Sweden. While both indicators are found to identify boys with attitudes and experiences relatable to honour (ancestry from regions with culture of honour, more strongly religious parents with less social and economic resources, experiences of restrictions and violence), they differ from each other. Expectations of chastity identify boys with more religious parents, fewer restrictions, less violence, and associating sex with marriage, while restrictions regarding marriage identify boys with relatively less religious parents, more experiences of restrictions and violence. These differences are discussed as different ways of practicing culture of honour, where expectations of chastity stress age-hierarchical structures relatively more, and restrictions regarding marriage instead stress patriarchal structures more.

To Honor and Defend: State- and Individual-Level Analyses of the Relationship Between the U.S. Culture of Honor and Military Service.

Understanding the factors that explain why some people are more likely to enlist in military service is an important endeavor for any nation that depends upon a voluntary military force. Three studies investigated the role of honor culture in military service. These studies assessed statewide differences in military enlistment rates (Study 1), individual differences in honor endorsement between military personnel and civilians (Study 2), and associations between honor endorsement and facets of military identification in a sample of active-duty Army personnel (Study 3). Results showed that honor was strongly and consistently associated with military service, independent of a wide range of potential confounds (e.g., economic precariousness, rurality, gender, age, and military rank). This research extends previous studies on the honor-military service link and has potentially important implications for military recruitment strategies and for our understanding of why military service might be a risk factor for subsequent mental health problems.

Corrigendum to “Genetic markers of cousin marriage and honour cultures” [Evolution & Human Behaviour (2024) Volume 45, Issue 6, 106,636].

Corrigendum to “Genetic markers of cousin marriage and honour cultures” [Evolution & Human Behaviour (2024) Volume 45, Issue 6, 106,636].

Risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in U.S. honor cultures

In recent years, more attention has been given to cultural predictors of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) risk. Yet, research has overlooked the potential risk conferred by U.S. cultures of honor. There is ample reason to suspect that honor-oriented states are at greater risk for ADRD, as many of the characteristics of honor-oriented states are also risk factors for ADRD (e.g., rurality, economic precariousness) and norms within honor cultures (e.g., risk taking, military enlistment, intimate partner violence) may elevate the chance of experiencing neurocognitive ADRD risk factors, like traumatic brain injury (TBI) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD). The present work examined the extent to which statewide honor-orientation predicted estimates of unintentional TBI deaths (2001–2019), SCD (2015–2019), and ADRD deaths (1999–2019) among non-Hispanic Whites. We controlled for period-matched variables known to be associated with honor cultures and ADRD (e.g., rurality, economic precariousness). After controlling for covariates, we observed that more honor-oriented states had higher unintentional TBI death rates (β = 0.39, p = .016), SCD (β = 0.58, p = .001), and ADRD death rates (β = 0.49, p = .030). Findings suggest that the norms and values of honor cultures may confer higher risk for TBI, SCD, and ADRD. Implications for educational, identification, and intervention efforts are discussed.

Driven by Revenge: Why Chechen Foreign Fighters Have Joined Ukraine Against Russia

Abstract While the motivations of individuals to become foreign fighters have been at the forefront of academic interest, an important motive—revenge—has so far remained under-researched. Drawing on the case study of pro-Ukrainian Chechen foreign fighters self-deployed in the ongoing Russo-Ukraine War, this article seeks to fill the gap in the extant literature by identifying and conceptualizing revenge. This article posits that two intertwined motives—revenge for perceived historical injustices and revenge for personal wrongs—have played an important role in motivating Chechens to become foreign fighters in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. This article suggests that while revenge might be a potent driving force of foreign fighting, its appeal may be stronger in the cultures of honor with the persisting notion of retaliation.

Associations between gun violence exposure and suicide mortality rates in US counties.

Gun violence traumatizes communities and places a heavy burden on the mental health of those exposed. This ecological study examines the association between gun violence exposure and suicide mortality rates in US counties for the period 1999-2020 at various urbanicity levels. A Bayesian hierarchical Gamma-Poisson model with state random effects was employed to model the age-adjusted suicide mortality rates which adjusted for sex ratio, urbanicity, social vulnerability, gun ownership, culture of honor, and exposure spillovers from neighbouring counties. Results indicate a small significant positive association between gun violence and suicide mortality rates. Urbanicity levels do not appear to modify this association, although the association may be slightly smaller for large urban metros. Gun violence exposure may be positively associated with suicide mortality in US counties.

Managing the visibility of dissent: Stigma, social media, and family relationships among Azerbaijani activists

This study examines the strategies young Azerbaijani activists use to manage the visibility of their stigmatized political identities, particularly in relation to their families. Drawing on concepts of socially mediated visibility, stigma, and honor culture, we analyze interviews with 29 activists to explore how they navigate the complex trade-offs between visibility and concealment in an authoritarian context. Our findings highlight the central role of courtesy stigma and relational repression in shaping activists’ decisions, as they seek to balance their desire for political expression with the potential risks to their families. We also show how social media platforms both enable and complicate activists’ visibility management strategies. The study contributes to understanding the dynamics of activism and resistance in honor culture and authoritarian contexts.

Testing rurality as a moderator of associations between masculinity constructs, help-seeking, and firearm storage practices.

Self-reliance, emotional control, and honor ideology may prevent help-seeking when suicidal ideation emerges. Furthermore, these factors are associated with an increased likelihood of firearm ownership and unsecure storage, which could facilitate suicide attempts. The rurality of residence may impact these associations, as rural regions report increased independence, honor culture, and firearm prevalence. Therefore, this study examined how emotional control, self-reliance, and honor ideology relate to firearm storage and help-seeking for suicidal ideation, with rurality moderating these associations. Participants were 733 adults (63.6% female, 33.5% male, and 2.9% transgender/other) who reported past-month suicidal ideation. Analyses tested associations between emotional control, self-reliance, and honor ideology with help-seeking for suicidal ideation and firearm storage, with rurality moderating these associations. The association of self-reliance and decreased help-seeking willingness for suicidal ideation was significant for those in non-urban areas. The association of emotional control and decreased help-seeking willingness for suicidal ideation was significant for those in urban areas. No variables predicted firearm storage. Self-reliance and emotional control could be barriers for help-seeking regardless of gender identity that depend on rurality. Clinicians may target emotional control/self-reliance via strengths-based approaches with an emphasis on when these constructs could be maladaptive, as this could promote help-seeking.

Beyond the Dichotomy: Creation and Validation of a Continuous Statewide Index of U.S. Honor Culture.

Honor cultures are characterized by a heightened sensitivity to reputation threats and strong expectations for the defense of honor. U.S. states vary in the extent to which they express the cultural norms of honor, but researchers have frequently relied upon a dichotomous classification that differentiates states as honor or dignity states. We created and validated a continuous, six-item index of honor norms and values across all U.S. states (Study 1). In Study 2, our honor index was correlated with historical variables theoretically associated with the genesis of honor cultures. In Study 3, we validated our honor index further by showing that it predicted several race-/ethnicity-specific outcomes that prior research has connected with honor (e.g., homicide rates, suicide rates). This new index equips researchers with a more nuanced understanding of U.S. honor cultures and a measure that can be used in future investigations.

Moral Policing of Gender Norms: Honor-Based Violence as a Mobilizing Factor Towards Militant Islamism

Honor culture, in which the virtue of the family—if not community—depends on the “purity” of its female members, enforced through “moral policing” of gender norms to collectively control women’s sexuality and uphold a patriarchal gender order, is a central aspect of both honor-based violence and the Salafi-jihadist culture in militant Islamist milieus. Drawing on interviews with 1) an imprisoned Danish woman convicted of ISIS-related terrorism, 2) a mother of a deceased Swedish ISIS foreign fighter, who herself was previously part of the Salafi-jihadist milieu, and 3) “professionals” (e.g. police officers, social workers and municipal employees) conducted during ethnographic fieldwork in Sweden and prison ethnography in Denmark, this article explores how honor-based violence can constitute a mobilizing factor for Western Muslims towards militant Islamism in three distinct ways. First, isolation of Muslim women and children through gender segregation and restrictions on accessing public space to “moral police” gender norms enables the Salafi-jihadist milieu to cement and extend its ideological, religious, and physical control. Second, in an honor culture with intense pressure on men to defend and restore family honor whenever it is challenged, joining ISIS can be perceived as a means to fulfill this obligation, thereby affirming “real” Muslim masculinity and upholding a patriarchal gender order. The deeply ingrained cultural expectations to defend honor can even be exploited by militant Islamist milieus in their recruitment efforts. Third, besides providing a “safe space” where one cannot be persecuted and punished for dishonoring one’s family by leaving it as an unmarried woman, ISIS’s multiethnic diversity and embrace of interethnic marriage can be appealing for someone who wants to escape forced endogamous marriage. Given that honor-based violence strikes at the individual freedoms and rights, thereby undermining liberal democratic values and the rule of law, our article contributes knowledge on the broader threat to democracy from anti-democratic forces in the context of militant Islamism.

Studying the Factors Contributing to the Sexual Harassment of Women in Jalalabad City, Afghanistan: A Social Perspective

This research looked at the social causes of sexual harassment of women in Jalalabad City, Afghanistan, and discovered workable solutions. The study included descriptive analyses, content analysis, field-based data collecting, and a qualitative methodology. Semi-structured interviews with married women who experienced sexual harassment, offenders, and community members were used to gather qualitative data. Two hundred semi-structured interviews with a representative sample of married women in Jalalabad City, Afghanistan, were conducted as part of the survey research approach. This research examined the ways in which patriarchal attitudes, societal norms, dominant expectations, sexual perception, non-mahrams, cohabitation, excessive freedom, honor culture contribute to sexual harassment. The study, based on feminist theory, identified 20 societal factors contributing to sexual harassment, including social stigma, lack of knowledge, and negligent legal enforcement, and suggested preventive measures like community education campaigns and legislative changes. In Jalalabad City, Afghanistan, sexual harassment of women is a serious issue with societal contributing elements. Effective prevention of sexual harassment requires a holistic strategy that addresses societal norms, empowers women, and strengthens legal frameworks, while also considering cultural norms, inadequate enforcement mechanisms, and a culture of silence. In order to advance gender equality, provide safer surroundings, and stop sexual harassment of women in Jalalabad City, Afghanistan, this paper makes specific recommendations for legislators, non-governmental organizations, and local authorities. Based on these findings, this study recommends evidence-based prevention methods. These could involve advertisements for sexual harassment awareness, legal changes for better protection, and training for law enforcement on handling complaints more effectively.

Taming Muslim Masculinity: Patriarchy and Christianity in German Immigrant Integration

This article analyzes a growing sector of state-funded pedagogies designed to reform Muslim masculinity in Germany. These programs present Muslim men as suffering from a psychopathology rooted in an alleged Islamic “honor culture”. They rely on a mix of Christian and non-religious welfare providers to supply Muslim youth with alternative masculine role models. We trace three implications of this arrangement: First, these programs' culturalist approach perpetuates Orientalist hierarchizations of masculinity. Second, the de-Islamized masculinity these programs construct as normatively binding revolves around a heteronormative patriarchy imagined as benevolent, thereby reinforcing the subjection of women. Third, these educational initiatives yoke the reform of Muslim masculinity to male participants' dramatic conversion to a Christian-German culture that blurs the line between the religious and the nonreligious. We suggest that studies of (hegemonic) masculinity in Europe ought to attend to the salience of the nation-state and to the public relevance of Christianity—two dimensions given short shrift in recent theorizing.

Honor Endorsement and Increased Firearm Purchasing Behavior and Intentions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The surge in firearm sales from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic have been linked to increases in firearm violence, which is of public concern given that having firearms in one's home is associated with increased risk for domestic violence and suicide. Consistent with pre-pandemic trends, individuals tended to purchase firearms for self-protection during COVID-19. Prior work indicates that protective firearm ownership is motivated not only by perceptions that the world (and one's local environment) is dangerous, but also by one's endorsement of masculinity norms found in U.S. cultures of honor (primarily southern and western states). Honor-based masculinity norms emphasis reputation defense, toughness, and an absolute intolerance of disrespect. The present research examined the relative motivating influences of various threat perceptions and masculine honor endorsement in predicting reasons for non-COVID-19 firearm ownership, firearm purchasing during COVID-19, and purchase intentions. Three separate samples (total N = 2483) of mostly White U.S. men completed online surveys during different months of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed measures of their endorsement of masculine honor norms, factors associated with firearm purchasing (e.g., dangerous world beliefs, intolerance of uncertainty), and firearm purchasing behaviors. Results indicated that masculine honor endorsement was higher among (1) protective firearm owners compared to non-owners and non-protective owners, (2) firearm owners who purchased a firearm during COVID-19 compared to non-owners and non-purchasing owners, and (3) firearm owners with intentions to purchase firearms in the next year compared to those without intentions and undecided owners. Relative to other predictors (e.g., COVID-19 concerns, dangerous world beliefs), masculine honor endorsement was consistently the strongest predictor of these outcomes. Findings add to the literature by highlighting the strength of masculine honor endorsement in motivating (protective) firearm ownership. Implications for interpersonal violence and suicide are discussed.

How far can genealogies affect the space of reasons? Vindication, justification and excuses

ABSTRACT Pragmatic vindicatory genealogies provide both a cause and a rationale and can thus affect the space of reasons. But how far is the space of reasons affected by this kind of genealogical argument? What normative and evaluative implications do these arguments have? In this paper, I unpack this issue into three different sub-questions and explain what kinds of reasons they provide, for whom are these reasons, and for what. In relation to this final sub-question I argue, most importantly, that these arguments are ambiguous about what they give us reasons for, meaning that they can be interpreted both as justifications for recognizing the normative standing of certain norms, values, and practices – and thus for living by them – and as excuses for those that do so. I illustrate this point by reference to the genealogical vindication of honor cultures, showing how the vindicatory argument can illuminate such case as one of excusing moral ignorance. Drawing on legal theory and moral philosophy, I show that different evaluative and normative implications hang on the result of the interpretation as either justification or excuse, and show that this ambiguity is a virtue rather than a limitation.

Director Botanist Honoured

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Cultural Frames of Deviance. Muslim Religiousness and Adolescents’ Attitudes Toward Violent Control of Female Behavior

ABSTRACT Using a survey of a culturally and religiously diverse students in Germany, we investigate the influence of Muslim religiousness on violence-accepting gender role orientations. We argue that the religious frame of “fornication” (zinā) defines deviance and refers to a cultural frame of order between and within clans in non-state societies, namely the “culture of honor.” Muslim religiousness has a robust effect on violence-accepting gender role orientations, controlling for culture of honor and confounders. Results of cross-level interactions indicate a social influence on these attitudes, which we interpret as a social proof mechanism: the higher the share of religious Muslims in a school class-context, the higher the acceptance of violent-accepting attitudes. We also show that Muslim religiousness tends to increase the accordance with violent control of females within the family. We argue that according to the religious-cultural frame of a divine order, zinā is interpreted as a violation of a sacred norm and thus as deviant.