'Honour' : Crimes, Paradigms, and Violence Against Women

This volume brings together the practical insights and experiences of individuals and organisations working in diverse regions and contexts to combat 'crimes of honour'. Authors examine strategies of response to such manifestations of violence against women, focusing largely on 'honour killings' and interference with the right to choice in marriage, and the related use and legal treatment of the defence of 'honour' and 'provocation' in different countries of Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and South Asia. This timely volume is distinctive in approach and content, highlighting activist and practice-orientated academic perspectives from both the South and the North.

The authors give voice to the struggle to locate 'crimes of honour' firmly within the international framework of violence against women and human rights, rather than positioning these abuses as specific to particular cultures or communities. The first of its kind, this book serves as a resource in addressing 'honour crimes' and, more broadly, violence against women, and will be of interest to a multi-disciplinary academic audience as well as to lawyers, policy-makers and activists.

“This is an excellent contribution to debates about crimes of honour, violence against women, and the politics of culture.” —Annelies Moors, ISIM chair at the University of Amsterdam

“This book must find its way to the shelves of every concerned lawyer, activist and citizen.” —Nandini Sundar, Delhi University

“This book is by far the best recent work on the issue and is indispensable reading.” —Philip Alston, director of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, New York University School of Law

“Thoughtful and thought provoking, the volume is an indispensable tool for anyone seriously committed to eradicating violence against women in all communities.” —Pragna Patel, Southall Black Sisters, London

“An extremely timely and insightful book.” —Yakin Ertrk, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women