Legacy of Honor and Violence: An Analysis of Factors Responsible for Honor Killings in Afghanistan, Canada, India, and Pakistan as Discussed in Selected Documentaries on Real Cases

Abstract

The present study scrutinizes the cases of honor killings in Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Canada through selected documentary films. The case focuses on the social, moral, and religious aspects that coerce some people to take the lives of their own family members in case they defy norms. The documentaries chosen as case studies provide the perspectives of both the victims and the victimizers regarding the concepts of honor, dishonor, and honor killings. People in certain societies reject progressive new thought as attempts to contaminate their perceived cultural purity. People from these communities who try to assimilate liberal ideas are often shunned, especially when the emancipation of women is concerned. Even the seemingly progressive males are very unforgiving about the female members of their families embracing the modern ways of life. The women who try to defy set traditions are branded as being rebellious and are punished to serve as a precedent for future rebellions by women and to save society from their alleged bad influence. In some patriarchal societies, women are seen as the preservers of the family’s honor, and their conduct often reflects the family’s culture, morality, and ethics. Any lapse on a woman’s part allegedly taints the family’s name, and punishment must be given to the erring party to restore the family’s honor. The case also studies the influence of society as a compelling factor in honor killings.