Missouri State political science professor Dr. Indira Palacios-Valladares was recently interviewed by the British news outlet The Guardian concerning the death of U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell.

Bushnell, 25, committed an act of self-immolation outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25. Bushnell was protesting recent Israeli actions in Gaza.

The Guardian journalist Adam Gabbatt contacted Palacios-Valladares directly, she said. This was her first interview for the British news outlet.

The two conversed for approximately 30 minutes via WhatsApp, Palacios-Valladares said.

Political protest as risk and sacrifice

Palacios-Valladares, whose research and expertise focuses on political protest, told The Guardian that physical political protest always puts the body at risk.

“When you go and protest in the street, you’re going to be beaten up maybe. You may even be killed, you may go to jail,” Palacios-Valladares said.

Acts of self-immolation, such as that committed by Bushnell, are simply a more extreme display of that risk, she explained. “This is intrinsic to every protest, the idea that you put your body at risk.”

In addition, Palacios-Valladares explained to The Guardian that political protests ending in death, such as self-immolation, are acts of sacrifice.

“When we think of suicide, it’s like your life is so terrible that you cannot continue,” she said. “This [self-immolation] is not about that, it’s about doing it for others. So in that sense it’s more than suicide. It’s suicide, but it’s not suicide—in the sense that it’s sacrificial.”

“It’s a sacrifice for others, for a community, for a cause,” Palacios-Valladares added.

Opportunity to shed light and provide context

Palacios-Valladares hopes the article gives readers more insight into the nature of political protest by addressing the motivations behind it.

“Why do people engage in these dramatic forms of protest, what meanings do such protest acts have, and how successful may [they] be in changing minds and hearts,” she said.

Palacios-Valladares was pleased with the interview and resulting story.

“The quotations are spot on and the context for my opinions was correct,” she said. “I think it is a good article that seeks to understand the event in a broader context.”

Palacios-Valladares believes sharing her expertise with media can be useful in helping people understand current events.

“I think I can help journalists go beyond the specific story and see the bigger picture,” she said.

Explore opportunities in political science