1. Author affiliation: American Theological Library Association 2. Special Issue: Buddhism and Politics
摘要
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.
目次
Burning for a Cause: Religiously Sanctioned Suicide? 481 Tibetan Suicide Activism as Political Violence 489 Religious and Political Martyrdom 499 Media, Communication, and the Violence of Nonviolence 501 Concluding Remarks 510 Bibliography 514
