Culture of honour : a comprehensive review

Abstract

The culture of honour has been widely studied in various parts of the world, yet the polysemous nature of “honour” raises the issue of what is it exactly that researchers are actually looking at when studying the concept of "honour". Existing research studying cultures of honour are conducted in different cultures and contexts. The diverse literature available has provided researchers with knowledge on different facets of culture of honour. However, these studies have also shown some differences in the understanding of what the culture of honour is. Through this literature review, the aim is to provide researchers with a clearer understanding of what exactly is a culture of honour. The question is addressed through the integration of various theoretical and methodological perspectives on the definition, origins, key characteristics and the perpetuation and persistence of honour cultures into a single comprehensive review.