The new book by Tamler Sommers, Why Honor Matters, offers a much-needed corrective to Western views of honor cultures.

Sommers is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Houston. But this is not a book of abstract philosophical musings. This is deeply practical and relevant to  modern life.

He says that unlike honor cultures, we are too risk-averse in America. This affects us—from an obsession with bicycle helmets … to irrational fears about the refugee crisis … to America’s criminal justice system.

Designed as a “trade book”, Why Honor Matters is highly accesible. It is handsome, not big and not too long—just 215 easy-to-read pages (before you get to the back-of-the book material). Despite the compact size, Why Honor Matters is weighty. It impacted me a lot.

Some of the literature over the past few decades about honor-shame has been critical of honor-shame cultures—pointing to honor killings and honor-based violence as so-called conclusive proof that our modern world should transcend cultures based on honor and shame.

Sommers challenges this view.

Sommers clearly acknowledges that honor-based violence is sometimes dehumanizing and evil. But having researched the differences between “honor cultures” and what he terms “dignity cultures,”  Sommers unmasks a Western liberal bias, and includes a fascinating assessment. Honor-based cultures and communities are, overall, much more skilled than Western “dignity cultures” at conflict resolution and restorative justice. Sommers writes:

Although honor cultures are more famous for their bloody feuds, the fact is that feuds are costly and people want to avoid them as long as they can maintain their honor and self-respect. With such high stakes, honor groups acquire tremendous skills and techniques for mediation, for discovering nonviolent ways for all parties to save face and restore their honor. Revenge is one form of restorative justice but not the preferred one, by any means. (p. 173)

I first heard about Tamler Sommers and his book Why Honor Matters on the Sam Harris “Waking Up” podcast. The podcast is titled “In Defense of Honor.”

It is fascinating to listen to Sam Harris discussing honor-shame with Tamler Sommers. Note—there is a little bit of swearing on the podcast, and the conversation gets bogged down in a couple of places where they lost me due to the  philosophically dense points being made. But overall, I found the conversation enlightening and interesting.

Why Honor Matters explores the downside and upside of honor cultures. Sommers offers real-life examples of communities that have strong honor codes. He explains why we need more of that in our world today, not less. He looks at a range of examples. From the major league baseball team … to the Navy Seals … to the hockey team honor code … and the Korean collectivistic society … to gangs … to the family unity in which everyone sticks up for one another … Sommers examines the honor values that characterize these groups and enable them to survive. He makes a compelling case for a return to honor values—with constraints.

Tamler Sommers spends the last couple chapters examining the difference between “retributive justice” and “restorative justice.” Retributive justice is the default in America, and Sommers critiques the ways that our criminal justice system tends to dehumanize both the criminal as well as the victim of crime. Sommers is an eloquent advocate for restorative justice, and as such is a “victims-rights advocate.” Taking into account the suffering and costs incurred by the victim (as well as their wishes) is one of the great benefits of restorative justice.

Unlike many of books I have read about honor-shame, this is not a Christian book. Obviously, it would not focus on issues of Christian mission. However, this book contributes much to the conversation about the deeply human and practical considerations about honor and shame in the world in which we live—especially concerning issues of violence. I therefore find Why Honor Matters a valuable contribution to the conversation about honor and shame in cross-cultural ministry.

Perhaps the most significant contribution is that Tamler Sommers, with his academic and cultural authority as an associate professor of philosophy at an American university, is calling his readers to reconsider and reintegrate honor-shame values into our modern world. He does so in a nuanced, carefully reasoned, readable manner using vivid examples and stories. I highly recommend Why Honor Matters.