ICONS AND IDOLS: INDIA'S IMAGE WARS
This course introduces students to iconoclasm (the destruction of images and ideas) and iconophilia (the love/veneration/adoration of images and icons) in the world's most populous country: India.
Sacred and secular icons are pervasive in India’s visual landscapes. Contests over their meanings and uses are equally longstanding. How do Indians understand what an image is? This undergraduate course introduces students to India's ‘image wars’, ranging from disputatious medieval events to modern media controversies. Students learn the contexts that make images meaningful; learn concepts key to the study of any visual culture; and acquire an understanding of the politics of iconoclasm and iconophilia.
The topics covered in this course include: the place of sacred icons in everyday life in India; the function of images in picturing nation and national identity; the role of film stars as public icons, secular gods, and political idols; the destruction and restoration of monuments in shaping conceptions of heritage and history; censorship and protest around representations of family, gender, and sexuality; and the role played by print, photography, commercial film entertainment, and digital media in shaping India's 'image wars'.
Assignments include researched dossiers, group projects, and class presentations.
Posted: February 15, 2026
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