The confrontation with the West and the cultivation of a siege mentality at home has been the most effective means left at Putin’s disposal for consolidating his power.
Musistance is a human revolution, subverting hegemonic and violent practices. It is a politics of love and compassion that emerged from encounters with the heaven of life amidst the hell of war in Chechnya.
Love is a fascinating subject not only because it is not the obvious choice for a study on war, but also because it is so common and strange at the same time.
The way to find out how war is lived by children is to look into the everyday rather than be satisfied with generalisations and statistics.
Dance is deeply political, impacting the sensual experience. It is a corporeal protest, a striving for freedom and a personal tool for feeling stronger.
The Chechen surgeon Khassan Baievs’ politics of compassion refuses to take sides when caring for those in need; it is resistance against the dehumanising practices of war.
Constantly on guard, Chechens have fought invasions and tried to preserve their community throughout their history – even before their encounters with Russia.
We perceive and sense our body emoting, and others’ bodies emoting. Text, film and music all act upon the spectator’s body. Sharing stories of compassion is the politics of compassion.
Sounds of War, by Susanna Hast, is a book on the aesthetics of war experience in Chechnya. It includes theory on, and stories of, compassion, dance, children’s agency and love. And, it is accompanied by a musical soundtrack.
The mass protests by Muslims in Moscow in September 2017 have demonstrated the increasing complexity of the relationship between Moscow and the Chechen leadership.
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