The distinction between intentional and compelled sacrifice fails for holy war

Evidence

Among other things, Halbertal’s distinction is confounded by sacrifice in holy war, which, arguably, most wars are, including those fought by secular states. But the distinction is leaky in other ways as well. — Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos, 733

Categorization

• SEED: A sharp rejoinder: secular states mobilize sacred-sacrifice rhetoric in warfare, which blurs Brown’s own sacrificial-vs-strategic line — usable as a critique of the book’s frame.
• QUESTION: Worth chasing the full Halbertal distinction Brown is invoking — what exactly is the ‘leak’ beyond holy war?
• XREF: connects to: Religious and political sacrifice differ as sacrificing ‘to’ versus ‘for’ — Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism’s…, 422; Crusader battlefield deaths were not technically martyrdom in medieval theology — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1784; The Crusades were less coherent religious triumph than convenient enemy-making (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Crusader battlefield deaths were not technically martyrdom in medieval theology #corroborates (0.85) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1784
• Crusade chroniclers blurred the distinction between preaching martyrs and waging war #corroborates (0.82)
• Religious and political sacrifice differ as sacrificing ‘to’ versus ‘for’ #expands (0.78) — Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos, 422
• The Crusades were less coherent religious triumph than convenient enemy-making #corroborates (0.78)