buddhistethics posted: "ISSN
1076-9005 Volume 25, 2018 Burning for a Cause: Self-immolations, Human
Security, and the Violence of Nonviolence in Tibet Antonio Terrone American
Theological Library Association In Tibetan areas of the People's Republic of
China, more tha"
New post on Journal of Buddhist Ethics
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ISSN 1076-9005
Volume 25, 2018
Burning for a Cause:
Self-immolations, Human Security, and the Violence of Nonviolence in
Tibet
Antonio Terrone
American Theological Library Association
In Tibetan areas of
the People's Republic of China, more than 150 Tibetans have immolated
themselves in the past decade to protest what they perceive as limited
religious, cultural, and civil rights. Revered as national heroes in
exile and compassionate human rights fighters among Euro-American
audiences, Tibetan self-immolators are considered mere terrorists in
China. This article brings studies in terrorism into its analysis of
the Tibetan self-immolation crisis, examining the ways in which both
are heightened by modern communication technology and media. Rejecting
any interpretation that aligns self-immolation with suicide terrorism,
I argue that although Tibetan self-immolators uphold Buddhist
scriptural principles of bodhisattvic self-sacrifice, their martyrdom
is nevertheless a form of violence with far ranging causes, both
political and religious.
Read article
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