Jeff Bartholet on Tibetan Self-Immolations

In this project, journalist Jeffrey Bartholet looks at the human and political dimensions of the self-immolations by Tibetan monks—their meaning, their possible impact, and the battle over who controls the narrative. In Dharamsala, India, home to the Dalai Lama, Bartholet interviews relatives, activists, and two monks who work to disseminate information. Chinese authorities do not want the story told and have tried to block reporting. Bartholet also explores the peculiar history of self-immolation and the related debate among some Tibetan Buddhists about whether that constitutes acceptable or unacceptable violence.