Tibetan self-immolations as counter-securitization: interdiscursivity, identity and emergency

This article argues that the Tibetan self-immolations constitute a form of counter-securitization to China’s securitization of the 2008 Tibetan uprising. Theoretically, it argues that securitization theory (1) is too focused on the intra-unit interaction between securitizing elites and audiences; (2) leaves the inter-unit dynamics underdeveloped and (3) fails to recognize the securitised ‘other’ as an audience. This article theorises the linkage between unit-level and inter-unit processes by exploiting three concepts: inter-discursivity, identity and emergency measures. Contrary to existing theories, it shows that even unsuccessful securitizing moves can set off counter-securitizations thanks to audience-overlap and inter-discursivity. The SinoTibetan interactions around the Tibetan self-immolations uphold these theoretical positions.