Not sure why I went down this rabbit hole but I am glad I did. The rich history attached to the act of martyrdom is fascinating from a political history and conflict theory perspective. Culturally too it is a remarkable feature of the human spirit that the will to live has been, or can even be, subjugated to the act of self sacrifice. There is a vast amount of scholarly research and written work surrounding the ‘cult of martyrdom’ as it pertains to resistance. Martyrdom in the West, says Rola el Husseini, seems to be linked to jihad and terrorism and that it is far too narrow a descriptor and one born of ignorance and fear.
The concept of martyrdom is not limited only to religious contexts but can also be applied to individuals or groups who sacrifice themselves for political, social, or humanitarian causes. The following description is from a website serving Christians;