A broadly based analysis of good and evil grounded in examination of the conceptual, philosophical, and theoretical bases of the study of evil within the social sciences.

Edwin Lemert investigates the possibility that a consideration of evil will provide new power to explanations of deviance. He links classic studies of witchcraft and sorcery to the wider problem of social control. The search for prototypical evil (a view that Lemert rejects) turns to an investigation of sorcery because sorcery involves selfish interest and intentions on the part of the sorcerer, who uses cryptic means to harm a victim that he/she dislikes.

The author then examines comparatively the conditions that produce evil actions, and social reactions to them, in a variety of societies; and he reviews explanations that previous scholars have offered for the presence and consequences of evil. A tangential consequence of this method is that the work takes on a strong Melanesian flavor, because so many of the classic studies of sorcery were conducted in that culture area. Lemert argues that the fragmented nature of political organization, rapid shifts in political alliance, and the frequency of competitive rituals involving food combine in Melanesia to produce conditions that favor the development of whole cultures that celebrate forms of animosity and violence.

About the Author

Edwin M. Lemert is former Professor of Sociology at the University of California-Davis. He is the author of Instead of Court: Diversion in Juvenile Justice; Social Action and Legal Change; Social Pathology: A Systematic Approach to the Theory of Sociopathic Behavior; Human Deviance, Social Problems, and Social Control; and co-author of Offenders in the Community. He is the 1996 recipient of the Western Society of Criminology Paul Tappan Award.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Edward Bowditch Ltd
Exstowe, Exton, Exeter, EX3 0PP, United Kingdom

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Legal entity name: Edward Bowditch Ltd
Legal entity form: Limited company
Business correspondence address: Exstowe, Exton, Exeter, EX3 0PP
Company registration number: 04916632
VAT registration: GB834241546
Authorised representative: Mr. E. Bowditch

Shipping Terms

Orders usually dispatched within two working days. Please note that at this time all domestic United Kingdom orders are sent by trackable UPS courier, we choose not to offer a lower cost alternative.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	7 to 14 business days	2 to 3 business days
First item	US$ 13.39	US$ 33.48

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.