Iconoclasm and Strategic Thought: Islamic State and Strategic Thought

TY - JOUR

T1 - Iconoclasm and Strategic Thought

T2 - Islamic State and Strategic Thought

AU - Clappterton, Matthew

AU - Jones, David Martin

AU - Smith, M.L.R.

PY - 2017/9/1

Y1 - 2017/9/1

N2 - This paper analyses the way in which Islamic State manages cultural heritage sites under its control. Drawing on three different case studies – Sufi, Shi’a and Sunni heritage sites, Palmyra and Mosul – it examines the manner in which the logic of Islamic State’s destruction can be considered a strategy. It is argued that for it to be considered as such evidence of three things need to be present: the degradation and delegitimisation of the existing societal fabric, the removal of all reference to the previous society and an attempt to reconstruct society in keeping with a new ideology. When these three elements are present and interlocking then iconoclasm as a strategy can be said to be manifest.

AB - This paper analyses the way in which Islamic State manages cultural heritage sites under its control. Drawing on three different case studies – Sufi, Shi’a and Sunni heritage sites, Palmyra and Mosul – it examines the manner in which the logic of Islamic State’s destruction can be considered a strategy. It is argued that for it to be considered as such evidence of three things need to be present: the degradation and delegitimisation of the existing societal fabric, the removal of all reference to the previous society and an attempt to reconstruct society in keeping with a new ideology. When these three elements are present and interlocking then iconoclasm as a strategy can be said to be manifest.

U2 - 10.1093/ia/iix168

DO - 10.1093/ia/iix168

M3 - Article

SN - 0020-5850

VL - 93

SP - 1205

EP - 1231

JO - International Affairs

JF - International Affairs

IS - 5

ER -