Outcast (person)
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An outcast is someone who is rejected or 'cast out', as from home or society,[1] or in some way excluded, looked down upon, or ignored. In common English speech an outcast may be anyone who doesn't fit in with normal society, which can contribute to a sense of isolation.
History[edit]
In Ancient Greece the Athenians had a procedure known as "ostracism" in which all citizens could write a person's name on a shard of broken pottery (called ostraka) and later place it in a large container in a public location. If an individual were to have his or her name written a sufficient number of times, they would be subject to "ostracism" and banished from the city for ten years. This was normally practiced against individuals who had behaved in a manner that was in some way offensive to the community.
Exiles[edit]
To be exiled is to be away from one's home (i.e. city, state or country), while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return. It can be a form of punishment. Exile can also be a self-imposed departure from one's homeland. Self-exile is often seen to be in some way a protest by the person that claims it, to avoid persecution or legal matters ( tax, criminal allegations, or otherwise), through shame or repentance, or perhaps to isolate oneself in order to devote time to a particular thing. Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights[2] states that, "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile."
In the Bible[edit]
In the Old Testament, Ishmael, the son of Abraham, was cast out after the birth of Isaac, his half-brother, who is considered the forebear of the Israelites. Genesis 16:12 of the Bible prophesies Ishmael's life as an outcast: "And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."[3]
See also[edit]
- Anthropology
- Begging
- Bitlaha (applied in south Asia)
- Cagot
- Dalit also called outcaste
- Deviancy
- Hobo
- Leatherman
- Nomad
- Ostracism
- Outlaw
- Persona non grata
- Rogue (vagrant)
- Social stigma
- Squatting
- Untouchability
- Vagrancy (people)
References[edit]
- ^ "Outcast | Define Outcast at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
- ^ "Article 9". Ichrp.org. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
- ^ "Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. Retrieved 2015-02-27.