Boundaries

The Architecture of Transgression: Demonology as System of Cultural Boundaries Demonology operates not as a collection of supernatural horror narratives but as a systematic framework through which cultures articulate their deepest anxieties about transgression, disorder, and the violation of fundamental boundaries. Across temporal periods and geographical regions, demons function as conceptual tools—embodied violations of categorical order that reveal what each culture considers most sacred, most vulnerable, or most dangerous to preserve. From the Zoroastrian Druj as cosmic falsehood to the Japanese Teke Teke as a contagious violation of bodily integrity, demonological systems demonstrate a consistent logic: demons represent not random evil but specifically the inversion, corruption, or dissolution of essential boundaries. This essay argues that demonology constitutes a coherent intellectual framework for understanding cultural taboos, not merely superstitious fantasy, and that the consistent patterns across diverse traditions reveal fundamental human anxieties about order itself. ...