طقوس العبور: أداء الجسد المحتج خلال "اعتصام الرحيل" في تونس بعد الثورة Death, Mourning, and Protest in the "Sit-in of Departure" in Post-Revolution Tunisia

After the Tunisian revolution, the country witnessed various forms of protest emerging from different geographical spaces, driven by diverse goals. However, protests sparked by the death of an individual seem to hold particular significance, as they manifest direct and explicit expressions of loss. This proposal focuses on observations of "burial cases" in Tunisia post-revolution, where not only was the bodily performance at the cemetery itself a form of protest (e.g., women entering cemeteries during burials), but these bodies quickly became symbols of organized political dissent. Key examples include protests related to the assassinations of Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi, as well as the funerals of figures like Lina Ben Mhenni and the poet Sghir Ouled Ahmed, among others.
This research proposes an analysis of the trajectory of the protesting body that emerges from the cemetery in post-revolution Tunisia. Protest, here, is understood as a public political act where the body is displayed to express a desire for change in specific political and social realities. The study draws on Judith Butler's framework, which considers mourning and grief after death as essential for analyzing and understanding how individuals process and overcome loss. Butler's analysis of how people interact with loss/death helps to understand certain protest movements, framing them as rites of passage through which people grieve and address loss.
One focus of the study is the "Sit-in of Departure" (I'tisam al-Rahil) in Tunisia in 2013, seen as a rite of passage originating in the cemetery after the assassination of politician Mohamed Brahmi, which later transformed into a pivotal political sit-in. This event is key to understanding the transformations Tunisia experienced post-revolution.
The research adopts a qualitative approach to analyze the protesting body’s performance during these "rites of passage." It utilizes visual, audio, and written discourse analysis of materials collected around the Sit-in of Departure, including photographs, videos, press articles covering the event, and interviews with protesters and public figures who participated in the protest. Additionally, in-depth interviews conducted by the researcher with activists and participants in the sit-in form a critical part of the analysis.
This material aims to deconstruct the complex relationship shaping the protesting body's performance as it expresses loss. This approach serves as a unique entry point for studying societal transformations and the evolving trajectory of the protesting (and non-protesting) body. It examines how bodies appear and express themselves in instances of death or assassination, shedding light on whether and how they articulate their loss. The study also explores the geographical spaces from which these protesting bodies emerge, their trajectories, and the diverse modes of appearance and performance in protest spaces. It delves into interactions with others, the limits of physicality, and the interplay with forces shaping the protest performance, such as political, social, and media influences.
Ultimately, the study of protesting bodies arising from loss or death allows for an understanding of the intricate relationships and spaces (whether narrow or expansive) where individuals express themselves and others. This includes navigating the processes of liberation, overcoming challenges, and addressing obstacles, all while interacting with the multiple media and societal forces that shape and display the body during its act of protest.