Iconoclasm and strategic thought: Islamic State and cultural heritage in Iraq and Syria

Islamic State's destruction of cultural heritage sites, including Palmyra, can be interpreted as a strategic move rather than mere iconoclasm. The study identifies three interconnected factors that define this strategy: the degradation and delegitimization of existing societal structures, the erasure of references to past societies, and an attempt to reconstruct society according to a new ideological vision. Additionally, Islamic State's actions exhibit both pragmatic and dogmatic elements, creating an inconsistent dichotomy within its rhetoric. This paradox arises when rigid doctrine clashes with the complexities of war, highlighting the strategic narrative underlying its cultural heritage policies in Iraq and Syria.

Clapperton, M., Jones, D. M., & Smith, M. L. R. (2017). Iconoclasm and strategic thought: Islamic State and cultural heritage in Iraq and Syria. International Affairs, 93(5), 1205–1231. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iix168