Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-5693
Authors: | Günther, Christoph |
Title: | Iconic socioclasm : idol-breaking and the dawn of a new social order |
Online publication date: | 17-Mar-2021 |
Year of first publication: | 2020 |
Language: | english |
Abstract: | The Islamic State articulates its claim for legitimate authority through texts, audio messages, and still and moving images. In addition, among the practices employed to classify “genuine” Islam and its boundaries, the destruction of cultural properties has received much international attention. The movement has framed these sites as manifestations of idolatry and, consequently, their obliteration as a legitimate means for socioreligious purification. In this article, I argue that the Islamic State’s attacks on these properties are embedded in a comprehensive strategy of spatial, material, ideational, and intellectual purification of the socioreligious landscape. By destroying these sites, the movement targets integral elements of social identities of local and transnational communities and their individual members in order to build a new social framework on their ruins. I suggest understanding these acts as strategic “socioclasm.” Visualizations are part of this strategy and help render the Islamic State an effective force because they support the production of images in the minds of both the movement’s followers and adversaries, hence attesting to the Islamic State’s rise, ideology, and actions. |
DDC: | 290 Andere Religionen 290 Other and comparative religions 300 Sozialwissenschaften 300 Social sciences 320 Politik 320 Political science 355 Militär 355 Military science 700 Künste 700 The arts 720 Architektur 720 Architecture 990 Geschichte der übrigen Welt 990 General history of other areas |
Institution: | Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz |
Department: | FB 07 Geschichts- u. Kulturwissensch. |
Place: | Mainz |
ROR: | https://ror.org/023b0x485 |
DOI: | http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-5693 |
Version: | Published version |
Publication type: | Zeitschriftenaufsatz |
Document type specification: | Scientific article |
License: | CC BY-NC-ND |
Information on rights of use: | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
Journal: | International journal of communication 14 |
Pages or article number: | 1830 1848 |
Publisher: | The Annenberg Center for Communication |
Publisher place: | Los Angeles, Calif. |
Issue date: | 2020 |
ISSN: | 1932-8036 |
Publisher URL: | https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/9858 |
Appears in collections: | JGU-Publikationen |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | ||
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günther_christoph-iconic_sociocl-20210313163601376.pdf | 400.12 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |