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.

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