Verschonung von Kulturgütern vor der Zerstörung: ein überregionaler Vergleich islamistischer Gruppierungen

The present article examines the sparing of cultural heritage by Islamic fundamentalist groups. Several incidents are compared regionally, considering the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq as well as the Taliban in Afghanistan and Ansar al-Dine in Mali. It appears that despite regional differences certain motives are generally valid, not only regarding religious legitimation but also media-oriented acting. It is argued that the examined Islamist groups try to reach out to a local, regional or global audience. Thereby, Islamist groups’ reactions depend on the question if an object constitutes a cultural signifier which provides a source of identity for certain groups.