Burning the Body: The Bodily Politics of Tibetan Self-Immolation
Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: This article analyzes self-immolation as a practice that activates the potential for resistance which is always present within the body. Examining the 2009–2012 self-immolations in Tibet, I argue that the political work of self-immolation takes place through spectacular pain, material degradation, and the interaction between the body of the self-immolator, public space, and multiple audiences. This work does not end with death: by demanding contestation and/or commemoration, these burnt corpses have political lives which exceed those of the self-immolators. Ultimately, I argue that self-immolation is not only a destructive act but can be a productive and future-oriented mode of politics.
Source: Theory & Event
Author: Archana Kaku
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4381788216