Description
This paper explores how the convergence between military and cultural actors around the protection of cultural heritage in armed conflict is reshaping the strategic field. While existing research has documented the militarisation of heritage protection and the evolution of military doctrines separately, the intersections between these dynamics remain largely unexamined. This project seeks to address this gap by analysing how collaboration between armed forces and cultural institutions contributes to the redefinition of both strategic practice and disciplinary boundaries.
The study investigates two main dimensions: first, how cultural actors influence the conceptual and institutional development of strategic studies through their growing involvement in security discourse; and second, how the integration of heritage protection into military mandates—such as in the cases of MINUSMA and the international coalition against ISIS—transforms the roles, priorities, and self-perception of armed forces. Methodologically, the research combines archival analysis with interviews conducted among military personnel, policymakers, and heritage professionals. By examining these evolving relationships, the project aims to reveal how cultural heritage functions as a catalyst for redefining the aims, ethics, and scope of strategy itself, challenging traditional distinctions between cultural, humanitarian, and military domains.
