Why do acts of iconoclasm continue to be socially and politically meaningful for diverse actors across different contexts? Perceiving the spectacular destruction of monuments — from those associated with the end of the Soviet era in Eastern Europe to those representing racist and colonial power in Western societies — as a visual and behavioural manifestation of radical social transformations, the project explores this question through three interconnected hypotheses: iconoclasm as a form of immediate group-building oriented toward the present (1), as a form of historical truth-seeking oriented toward the past (2), and as a form of performative justice-making for underrepresented communities and causes, oriented toward the future (3).

ICONS sets out to break new ground in anthropological research by crafting a cross-cultural analytical framework that transcends regional and politico-historical divisions. Methodologically, ICONS is grounded in comparative ethnography. Through three extended case studies situated in post-colonial (DRC-Belgium), post-socialist (Ukraine), and liberal contexts (USA), enhances anthropological interpretations of contemporary societies, and brings forms of contemporary iconoclasm to the forefront of socio-anthropological research.

The project is designed as a collaborative ethnographic investigation by three independent scholars, each responsible for a subproject, under general supervision by the PI, focusing on the post-socialist case. 

ERC Starting Grant — Geneva Graduate Institute

Timeline:  March 2026 - February 2031

Funding organisation: