Présentation

Les nombreux débats qui animent la communauté scientifique sur le sujet s’appuient sur des exégèses parfois concurrentes de textes bouddhiques, tout au long des siècles. Il nous a paru important de s’interroger sur cette lecture tout en replaçant toutefois ces événements dans un contexte plus large, et en étendant la question à d’autres aires culturelles marquées par la tradition bouddhique (Chine et Japon), mais aussi à d’autres sphères culturelles et religieuses où le bouddhisme ne prévaut pas (les mondes musulman et kurde, l’Inde et le Népal).

Des bouddhologues, des tibétologues, des anthropologues, des sociologues et des historiens apporteront leur éclairage sur cette pratique.

Programme

Monday 14 May

Chair: R. Barnett

09h00 – Opening speech by Mr. Denis Pelletier, President of École pratique des Hautes Études

• 09h15 – K. Buffetrille (EPHE)  Self-Immolation in Tibet: Some Reflections on an Unfolding History
• 09h45 – M. Vovelle (Sorbonne-Paris I)  Fire and Death in Western Imagination
• 11h00 – J.A. Benn (McMaster University)  Multiple Meanings of Buddhist Self-immolation, a Historical Perspective
• 11h30 – H. Stoddard (INALCO)  Offering the Body in Buddhist tradition: Texts and Images

Chair: J. Benn

• 14h00 – F. Macé (INALCO)  Immolation: the Japanese Case
• 14h30 – F. Khosrokhavar (EHESS)  Self-immolation by Fire as a Conditional Martyrdom: the Case of Bouazizi in the Arab Revolutions
• 15h00 – M. Biggs (Oxford University)  Self-immolation in Context, 1963-2012
• 16h00 – F. Jagou (EFEO)  Chinese Policy Towards Tibet versus Tibetan Expectations for Tibet: A Divergence Marked by Self-Immolations
• 16h30 – Chung Tsering (INALCO)  On Some Opinions about Self-immolation Expressed in Exile Tibetan Social Medias
• 17h00 – D. Berounsky (Charles University)  The Kirti Monastery of Ngaba (Rnga ba): Its History and Recent Situation

Tuesday 15 May

Chair: M. Biggs

• 09h30 – T. Shakya (UBC)  Self Immolation: Transforming the Language of Protest
• 10h00 – E. Sperling (Indiana University)  Conversations and Debates: Chinese and Tibetan Engagement with the Broader Discussion of Self-Immolation in Tibet
• 11h30 – D. Avon (Université du Maine-Le Mans)  Immolation in a Global Muslim Society. Revolt Against Authority, Transgression of Strict Religious Laws
• 12h00 – O. Grojean (Université Aix-Marseille)  Self-immolations by Kurdish Activists in Turkey and Europe (1982-2011)

Chair: E. Sperling

• 14h00 – M. Lecomte-Tilouine (CNRS)  Self-immolation by Fire and Other Forms of Suicide for Cursing, Harming or Protesting in Hindu Nepal and India
• 14h30 – R. Barnett (Columbia University)  Political Self-Immolation by Tibetans as Exemplary Behaviour in China: The Lessons of Popular Culture
• 15h00 – L. Noyontsang (INALCO)  Immolations in Tibetan Exile Poetry
• 15h30 – F. Robin (INALCO)  Fire, Flames and Ashes. How Tibetan Poets Talk About Self-Immolations Without Talking About Them

16h00 – Discussion and closing

17h00-19h00 – Screening of “Red River Valley” (Hong Hegu) by Feng Xiaoning (China, 1997)