Image Wars and Symbolic Destruction

Course goals

-Develop familiarity with key theories of religion and iconoslamc in art history;

-Enhance academic conversation skills and cultivate intellectual enjoyment by engaging deeply with readings and open-ended discussions on the significance of iconoclasm in religious studies;

-Analyze case studies on iconoclasm to understand and evaluate the structure of academic publications;

-Cultivate a critical approach to iconoclasm, recognizing both its political implications and the challenges of studying it;

-Improve essay-writing skills through designing, drafting, and reflecting on an academic essay.

Content

The course Image Wars: Religion and Symbolic Destruction focuses on iconoclasm—the destruction of images driven by religious and political motivations. We explore how the concept is used across the humanities, drawing from art history, philosophy, and religious studies. Starting with classical case studies such as the Byzantine iconoclastic controversies and the Protestant statue storms, the course expands to include global and contemporary examples, such as image-stepping in Japan, the treatment of so-called fetishes in Brazil, the decolonial removal of statues in South Africa, and women burning hijabs in Iran. Combining theoretical discussions with case studies, we examine what drives iconoclasm. In class conversations, we will also reflect on the ethical and political challenges involved in iconoclastic acts and their study, with the aim of developing a nuanced perspective on this emotionally charged phenomenon.