Entry
Reader's guide
Entries A-Z
Subject index
Suspension
Flesh hook suspension involves the hanging of an individual from hooks that have been inserted either through the skin or existing body piercing. Suspensions take place in front of a small group or at a performance with a larger gathering. Although suspension rituals were customary in some cultures, in modern-day American culture, they are considered a deviation from the norm, practiced by a distinct subculture. This entry discusses the history of, explanations for, and the process and impacts of the practice of suspension.
History
This practice has a long and diverse history. Countries such as India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia have histories that include suspension rituals. Over time, these customs have become less prevalent. Research also indicates that Native Americans had suspension practices. The Mandan tribe lived in what is now North Dakota and South Dakota. Their spirit-seeking O-Kee-Pa suspension ceremonies were part of a culture that viewed suffering and pain as a necessity. The ceremonies lasted for four days and were split into three main parts. The final ceremony was reserved for young men entering manhood. The object of this ceremony was to enter a state in which the young men would meet the “Great Spirit” to obtain healing or special knowledge. Although this practice could be viewed as torture, this ritual also had functional aspects. It was believed to harden the young men's muscles, teach them physical endurance, and allow tribal elders to compare the men's strength to see who would be the best leader of future war parties.
In a similar rite called the Sun Dance, Sioux Indian males were pierced much like those in the Mandan tribes; except, once they were pierced, they were attached to a tree. Their weight would pull against the tree until the piercings were pulled loose, and they were freed. Through this painful process, the men entered a trance where they received healing or special knowledge. Through this ritual, the men experienced “death.” When one has completed this ceremony, he is “reborn.” Today, these ancient rites of passage are used as a model for contemporary suspension rituals. For instance, the O-Kee-Pa suspension, a vertical suspension hooked from the chest, is one of the popular styles used in modern-day rituals. The mechanics of the suspension may have changed with new technology, but the behavior is rooted in Native American rituals.
Explanations
Contemporary research finds that there are many reasons for suspending. Many are drawn to suspending through contact with the body modification subculture. Through body modification, these individuals are exposed to a subculture where suspensions are regularly practiced, sometimes known as “modern primitives.” This group engages in body modification that explicitly references primitive cultural practices. However, there are a variety of motivations behind suspending. Some want to push the boundaries of their bodies or to experience the pleasure and feelings of freedom described by their friends. Others believe that a suspension may help them gain insight and test their physical and mental abilities to prove to themselves that they can do anything. Curiosity and fascination have moved some into suspensions. Others attempt suspensions as a way to celebrate a specific turning point in their lives. They understand that they have overcome an important obstacle and want to express their gratitude by suspending. Some use suspensions as a coping mechanism. Others have gone so far as to professionalize suspensions, presenting it as performance art. They suspend for crowds and love the “rush” that they get when they perform.
...
- Crime, Property
- Crime, Sex
- Crime, Violent
- Crime, White-Collar/Corporate
- Defining Deviance
- Changing Deviance Designations
- Cognitive Deviance
- Conformity
- Constructionist Definitions of Social Problems
- Death of Sociology of Deviance
- Defining Deviance
- Folk Crime
- Hegemony
- Homecomer
- Marginality
- Medicalization of Deviance
- Normal Deviance
- Normalization
- Norms and Societal Expectations
- Positive Deviance
- Positivist Definitions of Deviance
- Primary and Secondary Deviance
- Secret Deviance
- Social Change and Deviance
- Solitary Deviance
- Stranger
- Taboo
- Urban Legends
- Deviance in Social Institutions
- Deviant Subcultures
- Biker Gangs
- Body Modification
- Cockfighting
- Cosplay and Fandom
- Cults
- Dogfighting
- Drag Queens and Kings
- Eunuchs
- Female Bodybuilding
- Fortune-Telling
- Gangs, Street
- Goth Subculture
- Hooliganism
- Metal Culture
- Nudism
- Professional Wrestling
- Punk Subculture
- Rave Culture
- Roller Derby
- Satanism
- Skinheads
- Straight Edge
- Suspension
- Vegetarianism and Veganism
- Discrimination
- Drug Use and Abuse
- Age and Drug Use
- Alcohol and Crime
- Club Drugs
- Cocaine
- Decriminalization and Legalization
- Designer Drugs
- Drug Dependence Treatment
- Drug Normalization
- Drug Policy
- Drug War (War on Drugs)
- Gender and Drug Use
- Heroin
- Legal Highs
- Marijuana
- Methamphetamine
- Performance-Enhancing Drugs
- Prescription Drug Misuse
- Race/Ethnicity and Drug Use
- Socioeconomic Status and Drug Use
- Tobacco and Cigarettes
- Marriage and Family Deviance
- Measuring Deviance
- Mental and Physical Disabilities
- Methodology for Studying Deviance
- Autoethnography
- Collecting Data Online
- Cross-Cultural Methodology
- Edge Ethnography
- Ethics and Deviance Research
- Ethnography and Deviance
- Institutional Review Boards and Studying Deviance
- Interviews
- Participant Observation
- Qualitative Methods in Studying Deviance
- Quantitative Methods in Studying Deviance
- Self-Report Surveys
- Triangulation
- Self-Destructive Deviance
- Sexual Deviance
- Autoerotic Asphyxiation
- Bead Whores
- Bestiality
- Bisexuality
- Bondage and Discipline
- Buckle Bunnies
- Erotica Versus Pornography
- Escorts
- Feederism
- Fetishes
- Furries
- Intersexuality
- Masturbation
- Necrophilia
- Pornography
- Public Sex
- Road Whores
- Sadism and Masochism
- Sex Tourism
- Sexual Addiction
- Sexual Harassment
- Strippers, Female
- Strippers, Male
- Tearooms
- Transgender Lifestyles
- Transsexuals
- Transvestism
- Voyeurism
- Social and Political Protest
- Social Control and Deviance
- Studying Deviant Subcultures
- Technology and Deviance
- Theories of Deviance, Macro
- Anomie Theory
- Broken Windows Thesis
- Chicago School
- Code of the Street
- Conflict Theory
- Feminist Theory
- Institutional Anomie Theory
- Marxist Theory
- Peacemaking Criminology
- Queer Theory
- Routine Activity Theory
- Social Disorganization Theory
- Social Reality Theory
- Southern Subculture of Violence
- Structural Functionalism
- Theories of Deviance, Micro
- Accounts, Sociology of
- Biosocial Perspectives on Deviance
- Constructionist Theories
- Containment Theory
- Control Balance Theory
- Control Theory
- Differential Association Theory
- Dramaturgy
- Drift Theory
- Focal Concerns Theory
- General Strain Theory
- Identity
- Identity Work
- Individualism
- Integrated Theories
- Labeling Approach
- Neutralization Theory
- Phenomenological Theory
- Rational Choice Theory
- Reintegrative Shaming
- Self-Control Theory
- Self-Esteem and Deviance
- Self, The
- Social Bonds
- Social Learning Theory
- Sociolinguistic Theories
- Somatotypes: Sheldon, William
- Symbolic Interactionism
- Transitional Deviance
- Loading...
Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL
-
Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life -
Read modern, diverse business cases
-
Explore hundreds of books and reference titles
Read next
More like this
Sage Recommends
We found other relevant content for you on other Sage platforms.
Have you created a personal profile? Login or create a profile so that you can save clips, playlists and searches