Book

The political organization and law-ways of the Comanche Indians

American Anthropological Association (54 ; 4) • Published In 1940 • Pages: 149

By: Hoebel, E. Adamson (Edward Adamson).

Abstract
This is a descriptive study of law of the Comanche Indians of the southern Plains. Since the Comanche had no concept of law as an institution, or even as a set of rules, Hoebel used the case-history method to delineate the legal norms, unformalized by the Comanche. As a basis for comparison he uses the definition: 'A social norm is legal if its neglect or infraction is met by the application, in threat or in fact, of the absolute coercive force /violence/ by a social unit possessing the socially recognized privilege of so acting.' In giving a background for his study, Hoebel discusses tribal organization and its economic base, the peace chief, war and war leadership, and associations and their governmental role. In the actual cases, he discusses adultery and wife stealing, homicide, criminal offenses, ritual and evidence, abnormal conduct (e.g., rape and suicide), and property, inheritance and contract. In an appendix, he provides comparative notes on Shoshonean law-ways. Bibliographical references are given in footnotes throughout. Hoebel wasa Professor of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota.
Subjects
Legal norms
Territorial hierarchy
Offenses and sanctions
culture
Comanche
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
North America
Sub Region
Plains and Plateau
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Timothy J. O'Leary ; 1958
Field Date
1933
Coverage Date
1930-1940
Coverage Place
southwestern United States
Notes
E. Adamson Hoebel
At head of title: Supplement to American anthropologist, vol. 42, no. 3, pt. 2.
Issued also as thesis (Ph. D.) Columbia University
Includes bibliographical references
LCCN
41008503
LCSH
Comanche Indians