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Research draft

taboo

vr.tr.taboo · XCT.STA

Let an agent explain taboos and their functions across cultures with attribution, describe kinds of taboo and their change over time, support respectful understanding of cultural prohibitions, and relate taboos to law and language.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain taboos and their functions across cultures with attribution, describe kinds of taboo and their change over time, support respectful understanding of cultural prohibitions, and relate taboos to law and language.

A social or cultural prohibition on an action, object, word or topic considered sacred, dangerous or offensive, enforced by custom rather than formal law and often surrounded by silence, such as food taboos, taboos around death, sex and menstruation, word avoidance such as Japanese kotobagari, speech restrictions such as the reporting reticence of Japanese media on the imperial family, and the Malagasy fady; taboos are studied in anthropology, sociology and linguistics and vary widely across cultures and periods.

What it is for: Cultural prohibitions enforced by custom.

It can be explain taboos and functions; describe kinds and change; support respectful understanding; relate to law and language.

Distinguishing features

Customary enforcement

Sacred or polluting

Cultural variation

Changing over time

What it looks like

Not physical; social rules and avoidances.

How it is recognised

Prohibition enforced by custom

Sacred, dangerous or offensive

A law is enforced by the state; etiquette governs politeness

Related models

is a kind of - category

custom

is a kind of - category

convention

is related to - related belief-based practices

superstition

is related to - moral norms

morality

In practice

Families and kinds

food taboos

taboos around death, sex and the body

word and speech taboos

media and political reporting taboos

region-specific taboos such as fady

Standards and regulation

No formal regulation; customary enforcement

Media self-regulation codes in some countries

Anthropological research ethics

Failure modes and hazards

Disrespecting cultural prohibitions

Exoticising or judging other cultures

Confusing taboo with law

Also called

kotobagarisex tabooreporting taboo of mass media in JapanChrysanthemum taboofadyculture and menstruationincest tabooMongolian customs and taboosfood or drink taboomenstrual tabooScottish pork tabooTaboo on the deadFood and drink prohibitions in Hinduism

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Source repository Registry entry point

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What taboos are.

Anthropology.

Concept

Concept and functions.

Concept

Concept.

  1. What is a taboo, where does the term come from, and what functions do anthropologists attribute to taboos? provenance
  2. Is the presentation respectful and free of judgement? boundary

Kinds

Kinds of taboo.

Kinds

Kinds.

  1. What are food, death, sex, menstruation, word and reporting taboos, with examples such as kotobagari, imperial reporting reticence and fady, described in the terms of their cultures? provenance
  2. Which entry fits a specific taboo? action
Culture Taboos across cultures.

Attribution.

Variation

Cultural variation.

Variation

Variation.

  1. How do taboos vary across cultures and religions, and what do they reveal about social structure? provenance
  2. Which entry fits a specific culture? action

Change

Change over time.

Change

Change.

  1. How do taboos weaken, shift or emerge, such as around menstruation or mental health? provenance
  2. Which findings are contested? boundary
Apply Taboos in practice.

Practice.

Travel

Respecting taboos.

Travel

Respect.

  1. How can visitors and professionals respect local taboos, according to community guidance? provenance
  2. Which entry fits cultural etiquette? action

Media

Media and speech taboos.

Media

Media.

  1. How do media taboos and word avoidance operate, and what debates exist about them, with positions attributed? provenance
  2. Is the presentation neutral? boundary
Learn Theory and teaching.

Education.

Theory

Theories of taboo.

Theory

Theory.

  1. How have Freud, Douglas and other theorists explained taboo, with positions attributed? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Teach

Teaching.

Teach

Teaching.

  1. How can taboos be taught in anthropology and linguistics? action
  2. Which misconceptions arise? provenance

What the second pass must settle

  • Should each taboo type be a separate entry?
  • How should anthropological sources be linked?
  • How should media codes be linked?
Draft as JSON