Objects of Conflict: Exploring the Interplay between Materiality, Religion, and Violent Conflict

Lucien van Liere (Utrecht) on ‘Objects of Conflict: Exploring the Interplay between Materiality, Religion, and Violent Conflict’

How do things become symbols and how are things recognized as symbols in tense situations? What roles do visual media play in this? Why, when, and how do things raise anger or fear and become part of religious conflicts?

Emphasizing the significance of a material perspective on how and why objects become potent symbols, this talk will shed light on the mechanisms that contribute to the intensification of religious conflicts. Discussing the epistemological assumptions of a material approach and exploring a few cases of religion related violence, a material perspective on religion and violent conflict will be discussed as an important contribution to conflict analysis and the broader study of religion