Ostracism and the law of defamation

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Abstract

This article compares the classical political institution of ostracism with the modern law of the United States concerning defamation. The classical institution of ostracism was a political tool of very limited scope. In modern society the term "ostracize" generally means to exclude a person from all or some of the benefits of a group. The law of defamation is a rather limited means of protecting an individual's reputation, consequently protecting individuals from being ostracized. The article concludes that United States law concerning defamation is generally inadequate as a means of protection from certain social consequences that resemble ostracism, such as job and educational discrimination. In addition, the article concludes that "the law seems to foster an unarticulated public policy that drifts in accordance with the preferences of individuals who have a great deal of personal or institutional power.". © 1986.

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APA

Anawalt, H. C. (1986). Ostracism and the law of defamation. Ethology and Sociobiology, 7(3–4), 329–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/0162-3095(86)90058-0

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