Living torches. Self-immolation as a form of political protest in the Soviet Bloc (1968–1989)

Implementation: 2015–2018

Head of project: Petr Blažek

Description of project: The main focus of the project is a historical investigation of cases of self-immolation in the Soviet Bloc, which appeared at the end of the 1960s in response to the August occupation of Czechoslovakia and the incoming “normalization”. The research focuses on the comparison of the chosen strategies, the reaction of society, the response of the government and the transformation of the memory culture. The main outcome is a monograph in which the cases of self-immolation in the Soviet Bloc will be presented in the context of other waves of this form of radical political protest around the world.