Monumental empowerment: The vandalism of public mnemonic objects

Abstract

This article develops a novel approach for defending the vandalism of ‘tainted’ monuments by appealing to democratic process. Through the framework of symbolic power, and with a focus on deliberative processes of ‘collective authorization’, the article makes three central claims. First, I argue that public mnemonic objects that are improperly authorized result in the symbolic powerlessness of those excluded. Second, I argue that this powerlessness survives when collectives fail to re-authorize their mnemonic objects. As such, I redefine ‘tainted’ commemorations with reference to procedure and not merely problematic content. Third, I defend the vandalism of tainted commemorations as assertions of symbolic empowerment, or full participation in symbolic design, for groups facing historical and ongoing marginalization. Together, these arguments explore how the failure of narrow and/or top-down processes of monument authorization and their objectification in the memory landscape redirect unfulfilled democratic participation to the physical, built realm.