Scholar highlights cultural dimension as new frontline in modern conflicts

AMMAN — Cultural heritage is increasingly becoming a battlefield in today’s geopolitical conflicts, as nations and non-state actors weaponise the past to serve political, territorial, and ideological goals, according to Professor Lynn Meskell of the University of Pennsylvania.

Speaking at the CBRL Amman Institute on Wednesday during a lecture titled “Ruined: How and Why We Weaponise the Past,” Meskell shed light on the ways cultural heritage is exploited during conflicts. The event explored the role of UNESCO and NGOs in mitigating the destruction of heritage sites amid global unrest.

“We find ourselves in a war where ruins of the past are leveraged for legal, political, and territorial advantage,” Meskell said, noting how antiquities have become symbolic battlegrounds from Ukraine to Gaza.

A renowned archaeologist and anthropologist, Meskell has conducted fieldwork in post-apartheid South Africa, the Middle East, India, and Asia. She emphasised the intersection of archaeology with geopolitics, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean—a recurring theme in her academic work.

Meskell explained that UNESCO, founded in the aftermath of World War II, was envisioned as a force for peace through cultural cooperation. Yet, she argued, it continues to grapple with the legacies of war and destruction. 

In recent decades, the 21st century has witnessed what she calls the "securitisation" of cultural sites, with ruins often serving as proxies for sovereignty, civilisational narratives, and irredentist claims, the scholar added.

“Cultural sites have been looted, bombed, erased, and appropriated in conflict zones including Gaza, Yemen, Ukraine, and Nagorno-Karabakh,” she said. “This mobilisation of the past is a powerful weapon used by all parties involved.”

Highlighting the strategic use of heritage in warfare, Meskell noted that protecting cultural monuments is often tied to broader objectives—such as combating terrorism, trafficking, and crimes against humanity. However, she also warned that this same past is being “weaponised” by nation states to reinforce political agendas.

Former UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, quoted during the talk, once declared that “protection of heritage is more than a cultural issue—it is a security necessity.” 

Meskell added that Bokova “engaged in the language of battle to save world heritage” during her tenure and had aspirations to lead the United Nations.

The concept of "lawfare"—the use of legal systems as tools of conflict—was also discussed as a modern substitute for traditional warfare. Meskell described it as part of an escalating trend she termed “heritage warfare,” driven by both predatory states and extremist groups.

Despite the bleak landscape, Meskell expressed cautious optimism. She argued that heritage conservation could play a role in countering future extremism and promoting peace, though she acknowledged that deep political divisions on the ground often impede cooperation.

“Heritage has been held up as a kind of promissory note by agencies and actors alike,” she concluded. “Yet if we look closely, there are few examples of long-term improvement.”