Jared Diamond
Vengance is Ours
April 21, 2008

(read this paper)

Fascinating description by Jared Diamond of how a tribal people in New Guinea traditionally regulated serious grievances, both with formal obligations for vengance and also many rules that constrained proper conduct of violence. Also interesting more broadly for its glimpse into tribal lifeways, and into how tribal societies are adapting to being encompassed by modern states, where the power of violence is reserved to the state.