ABSTRACT
Words 'do' things, according to the philosopher J. L. Austin (1962:12). The word 'honor' might evoke thoughts of a historical debate over morals, in which people take it upon themselves to defend their own social interests in some absolute sense against those of all others. Our thoughts turn to feuds, vengeance, and feudal conditions. In order to see the relevance of honor in the modern world it is necessary to move beyond what words 'do' connotatively, to how concepts make sense in the wider workings of everyday social life. This entails looking at how honor is contested, defended and negotiated in the social relations in which people are constantly involved. My claim is that social concepts such as honor should not be viewed too narrowly, but must be related to the wider complexity and multiplexity of ongoing social life. To substantiate this claim materials from Japan will be presented that may supplement and problematize the prominence of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern materials on this topic (Gilmore 1987:3). By linking honor to the contests and negotiations of local politics in Japan its relevance in modern social life will become apparent. Questions of honor, face and reputation range from considerations of morality to conflicts over power and interests - in short much of what goes on in social life - all of which come together in games of interest between actors in different contexts. In this example honor may be viewed as a template through which local power and standing is negotiated.
