Graduates of the course The Role of Cultural Heritage: Destruction of Cultural Heritage – Protection of Cultural Heritage will possess a critical and historically grounded understanding of the motives, mechanisms and consequences of the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage, from antiquity to contemporary conflicts. They will be able to analyse the political, religious, ideological and economic drivers behind such acts, and to assess their broader implications for cultural identity, collective memory and state-building processes, including their potential relevance within the frameworks of genocide and crimes against humanity. Furthermore, graduates will demonstrate informed knowledge of the principal international legal instruments and institutional mechanisms for the protection of cultural property, including the Hague Conventions, the Hague Protocols and UNESCO resolutions, and will be capable of critically evaluating their effectiveness in practice. Through research-based learning, they will have developed the ability to conduct independent inquiry, apply interdisciplinary perspectives, use scholarly sources appropriately and communicate complex arguments with clarity, analytical rigour and academic precision.
- Bachelor
- Language and culture
- English
- In person
Apply now
The Role of Cultural Heritage: Destruction of Cultural Heritage- Protection of Cultural Heritage
The deliberate and propagandistic public destruction of world cultural heritage, such as in Palmyra, Syria, by IS, or the equally spectacular destruction of the monumental Buddha statues of Bamiyan in 2001 by the Taliban, shocked and outraged the international community. We suspect that this is about more than just the destruction of works of art.
Although the destruction of cultural assets, deliberately staged and disseminated by the media, is a new phenomenon, the deliberate destruction of monuments and works of art is not. It can be traced back in history to ancient times.
In part 1 of the seminar, we will examine different forms and motivations for destruction using selected examples from history. These range from political, religious and ideological to material reasons. In addition to the destruction of material values, the aim was often to combat the ideological values and cultural identity of the opponent.
Since the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, the destruction of cultural property has also been discussed for the first time in the context of genocide and crimes against humanity.
In part 2 of the seminar, we will look at the current regulations for the protection of cultural property, including in armed conflicts, and critically examine their effectiveness.
Of central importance here are the Hague Conventions, the Hague Protocols and the UNESCO Resolution on the Protection of Cultural Property.
- Motives of deliberate destruction in past and present
- Destruction by neglicence
- The black art market
- Measures and instruments to protect cultural heritage: international law and conventions
- Institutions
- Examples of practical projects to protect cultural herirtage
There is no specific requirement.
An updated reading list will be provided upon demand.
INDIVIDUAL TUITION FEES
EARLY BIRD PRICE REGULAR PRICE
(Applications received until 10/05/2026) (Applications received after 10/05/2026)
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 450€ 650€
PROFESSIONALS AND
STUDENTS FROM THE NETWORK 150€ 300€
OF SPANISH UNIVERSITIES (CRUE)
UDC STUDENTS 60€ * 120€