Lexia 31-32

The notion of martyrdom, originally formulated within Christian tradition, has soon assumed a wider scope, shifting from religion to political discourse. The codification of martyrdom is particularly articulated by the Catholic Church, but forms of self–sacrifice comparable to martyrdom can be found in many religious cultures, from Protestantism to Judaism and Islam. The concept of martyrdom is therefore surrounded by a nebula of meanings calling for a semiotic and historiographic study. The contributions collected look into the notion of martyrdom as it used in different socio–cultural contexts and into the figure of the martyr in the modern and contemporary world.