Edgerton carried out many investigations, studies, and cases involving suicide in different cultures and tribes around the world. One of Edgerton's beliefs is that suicide is attempted and done because of hostility toward one's environment. He also recognizes motives such as altruism, in the case of a fallen leader or a martyr, and revenge. The danger of suicide in cultures where it happens too often is one worry of Edgerton. In addition, he believes that feelings of anomie cause suicide, as well as feelings of stress, worthlessness, and depression.

The most common sociological definition of suicide is, "every case of death which results directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act, accomplished by the v

Lukes, S. (1972). Emile Durkheim. New York: Harper & Row

Edgerton, R. (1992). Sick Societies. New York: Macmillan.

The Zulus are not the only example of sexuality during war. Edgerton explores rape as a source of violence during armed conflicts. The Bolsheviks could not stand up to Japanese troops, but their outrage was vividly displayed in the city of Nikolatevsk, where they tortured all 700 Japanese people living there and raped the women before killing them. This proves Edgerton's point that enemies rape the women as an alternative to killing in war. It is a coward's way of overcoming a more powerful opponent. During the Boxer's Rebellion, the troops raped any more or less attractive women they could find. One U.S. Marine wrote back that Germans and Russians, in particular, abused and killed these women after raping them. Rape is popular in wars, because the soldiers often leave their wives at home and the warriors' sexual repression makes them aggressive towards the enemy women, similar to what people believe of the Zulus.

It means that one reason for suicide is that the person is showing that he is against certain actions that his or her society engages in. In the case of revenge, it is rebellion against culture, not caused by being isolated. The examples he uses are customs that people do not do in America, which help to emphasize the point. Americans can mostly understand why someone would be against wife beating or an arranged marriage because violate this societies norms. To an American, it is understandable to reject such customs and see them as a reason for suicide.

The research Edgerton conducted on the various cultures' norms on suicide and sexuality influenced his theories on these topics. Often there were connections between sociology topics such as anomie and deviance and the understandings of the cultures on suicide and sexuality. Edgerton bases beliefs concerning suicide on research of tribal cultures mentally deficient people, and behavior during wars. His theories on sexuality grow out of investigations on mentally deficient people and societies around the world, including American culture on the beach. Edgerton's broad range of views on suicide and sexuality stem from the case studies in which he involved himself.

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