Tibet on Fire - by John Whalen-Bridge (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Extreme conditions lead to extreme protest, and contradictions between the Buddhist-inflected rhetoric of non-harm and the agony of self-immolation have been accounted for variously. The interpreters create descriptions that reflect, select, and sometimes deflect the reality of the burning corpse, calling attention to a certain place and time. In this volume, John Whalen-Bridge applies Kenneth Burke's interpretive suggestions to the phenomenon of a Buddhist-inflected self-immolation movement. Tibet on Fire considers the possibility that the self-burnings could be interpreted as an extension of the struggle that constitutes part of what Kenneth Burke called a 'logomachy.' The volume seeks to: open up the possibility of multiple motivations, explain the significance of shifting contexts, and explore the pervasive substitutions in which the self-immolator and the Dalai Lama trade places in attempts to understand the Tibetan situation. "--

Book Synopsis

Extreme conditions lead to extreme protest, and contradictions between the Buddhist-inflected rhetoric of non-harm and the agony of self-immolation have been accounted for variously. The interpreters create descriptions that reflect, select, and sometimes deflect the reality of the burning corpse, calling attention to a certain place and time. In this volume, John Whalen-Bridge applies Kenneth Burke's interpretive suggestions to the phenomenon of a Buddhist-inflected self-immolation movement. Tibet on Fire considers the possibility that the self-burnings could be interpreted as an extension of the struggle that constitutes part of what Kenneth Burke called a 'logomachy.' The volume seeks to: open up the possibility of multiple motivations, explain the significance of shifting contexts, and explore the pervasive substitutions in which the self-immolator and the Dalai Lama trade places in attempts to understand the Tibetan situation.

Review Quotes

"Aside from its particular focus on performances and rhetoric-which may interest those already familiar with the self-immolations-Tibet on Fire also serves as a general introduction to the Tibetan self-immolation phenomenon, and provides comprehensive, introductory-level background on Tiber-China history, Tibetan Buddhism, and international politics vis-à-vis the Tibet-China conflict. Tibet on Fire may thus also be of interest to those seeking a general introduction to the self-immolations themselves as well as the Tibet-China conflict in general." (Benjamin Wood, Journal of Global Buddhism, Vol. 17, 2016)

About the Author

John Whalen-Bridge is Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at National University of Singapore