Diaries of Red July: our emotional footprints

Abstract

Diaries of Red July: Our Emotional Footprints is an initiative by BIGD to understand how individual citizens relate to a political rupture of a massive nature, and how personal emotions turned into a collective experience. This was done by capturing the personal stories and emotional struggles of individuals during this time. A group of young researchers was initially invited to contribute, with six ultimately submitting complete diary entries covering the period from June to August 2024. While most contributors were not on the frontlines, their daily lives were deeply disrupted by the events unfolding before them. Using emotional mapping methods, this initiative charts the shifts in emotions, ranging from fear and grief to solidarity and hope against the backdrop of a national movement. The resulting narratives offer an intimate lens on how ordinary people lived through, experienced, and made sense of a historic struggle for justice.