Case Studies
To date, we have identified more than five hundred cases on five continents. Our Case Studies relate to a wide array of historical legacies, including colonialism, enslavement, racism, fascism, sectarianism, anti-semitism, communism, authoritarianism, sexual violence and others. To address these often contested legacies, decision-makers and other parties have chosen various remedies. This can take the form of complete removal of the monument, artistic intervention to alter the statue or increased signage for contextualisation.
Case Studies focus on the historical background, history of the contestation, the decision-making process and the remedy employed. Once our Researchers complete them, the Case Studies are internally reviewed by the Contested Histories Team before being sent out for external expert review by our Academic Committee before publication. They are revised when new developments relating to the case to give the most accurate and up-to-date overview possible.
#154
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei City
Taiwan
The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei City, Taiwan opened to the public in 1980, five years after Taiwan’s first president Chiang Kai-shek’s death, in honour of Chiang’s legacies after he establ… Read More
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei City
The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei City, Taiwan opened to the public in 1980, five years after Taiwan’s first president Chiang Kai-shek’s death, in honour of Chiang’s legacies after he establ… Read More
The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei City, Taiwan opened to the public in 1980, five years after Taiwan’s first president Chiang Kai-shek’s death, in honour of Chiang’s legacies after he established rule over Taiwan from 1949 onwards. Since Taiwan’s democratization in the… Read More
#247
African Renaissance Monument in Dakar
Senegal
The African Renaissance Monument is a 50-meter tall statue in Dakar, Senegal, erected in 2010 as the project of then-President Abdoulaye Wade. It serves to commemorate the ‘African Renaissance,’… Read More
African Renaissance Monument in Dakar
The African Renaissance Monument is a 50-meter tall statue in Dakar, Senegal, erected in 2010 as the project of then-President Abdoulaye Wade. It serves to commemorate the ‘African Renaissance,’… Read More
The African Renaissance Monument is a 50-meter tall statue in Dakar, Senegal, erected in 2010 as the project of then-President Abdoulaye Wade. It serves to commemorate the ‘African Renaissance,’ a political ideology that heralds a goal of growth and prosperity for the Afric… Read More
#6
Robert Towns Statue in Townsville
Australia
On June 22, 2020 the statue of Townsville’s founder and namesake Robert Towns was vandalised by the smearing of red paint on his hands to symbolise blood. The vandalisation formed part of a wider move… Read More
Robert Towns Statue in Townsville
On June 22, 2020 the statue of Townsville’s founder and namesake Robert Towns was vandalised by the smearing of red paint on his hands to symbolise blood. The vandalisation formed part of a wider move… Read More
On June 22, 2020 the statue of Townsville’s founder and namesake Robert Towns was vandalised by the smearing of red paint on his hands to symbolise blood. The vandalisation formed part of a wider movement in Australia to confront the nation’s colonial past. Robert Towns and… Read More
#2
Monument to the Dead (Le Pavois) in Algiers
Algeria
Built after the First World War, ‘Le Pavois’ was meant to symbolise unification between Europe and Africa. However, to the people of Algier, it is a symbol of the colonial past and French oppression. Read More
Monument to the Dead (Le Pavois) in Algiers
Built after the First World War, ‘Le Pavois’ was meant to symbolise unification between Europe and Africa. However, to the people of Algier, it is a symbol of the colonial past and French oppression. Read More
Built after the First World War, ‘Le Pavois’ was meant to symbolise unification between Europe and Africa. However, to the people of Algier, it is a symbol of the colonial past and French oppression. After Algeria gained independence in 1962, discussions between city representati… Read More
#53
Bronze Soldier Statue in Tallinn
Estonia
In late April 2007, a series of violent street protests involving arson and looting erupted over plans to relocate a bronze statue of a Red Army soldier from a park in central Tallinn to a military ce… Read More
Bronze Soldier Statue in Tallinn
In late April 2007, a series of violent street protests involving arson and looting erupted over plans to relocate a bronze statue of a Red Army soldier from a park in central Tallinn to a military ce… Read More
In late April 2007, a series of violent street protests involving arson and looting erupted over plans to relocate a bronze statue of a Red Army soldier from a park in central Tallinn to a military cemetery on the outskirts of the city. Known as the Bronze Nights, these pro… Read More
#155
Monument to Humanity in Kars
Turkey
The Monument to Humanity was a 30-metre statue that played a prominent role in the skyline of the city of Kars. In the wake of the 2011 Turkish General Election, the then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip E… Read More
Monument to Humanity in Kars
The Monument to Humanity was a 30-metre statue that played a prominent role in the skyline of the city of Kars. In the wake of the 2011 Turkish General Election, the then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip E… Read More
The Monument to Humanity was a 30-metre statue that played a prominent role in the skyline of the city of Kars. In the wake of the 2011 Turkish General Election, the then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid a visit to the city of Kars and, during a campaign stop, declared… Read More
#138
Sir Stamford Raffles Statue on Singapore River
Singapore
In 2019, Singapore commemorated its bicentennial and the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles to its shores. The innovative approach to addressing the statue of Raffles and the sta… Read More
Sir Stamford Raffles Statue on Singapore River
In 2019, Singapore commemorated its bicentennial and the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles to its shores. The innovative approach to addressing the statue of Raffles and the sta… Read More
In 2019, Singapore commemorated its bicentennial and the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles to its shores. The innovative approach to addressing the statue of Raffles and the state’s narrative regarding his legacy sets this case apart from other colonial-era… Read More
#29
The Stands of Dignity and Escotilla 8 in Santiago
Chile
Following the military coup against Salvador Allende in September 1973, the Chilean Armed Forces transformed the former stadium of Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos into the country’s largest d… Read More
The Stands of Dignity and Escotilla 8 in Santiago
Following the military coup against Salvador Allende in September 1973, the Chilean Armed Forces transformed the former stadium of Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos into the country’s largest d… Read More
Following the military coup against Salvador Allende in September 1973, the Chilean Armed Forces transformed the former stadium of Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos into the country’s largest detention centre for political prisoners, where abuse was rife. Following the tra… Read More
#97
Francis Light Statue in George Town in Penang
Malaysia
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests of 2020, the statue of the founder of the British colony of Penang, Francis Light came under increased scrutiny and public vandalisation, which spa… Read More
Francis Light Statue in George Town in Penang
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests of 2020, the statue of the founder of the British colony of Penang, Francis Light came under increased scrutiny and public vandalisation, which spa… Read More
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests of 2020, the statue of the founder of the British colony of Penang, Francis Light came under increased scrutiny and public vandalisation, which sparked both heated and starkly polarized debates on social media. This case offers… Read More
#62
Stalin Statue in Gori
Georgia
The removal of the Stalin statue from the central square in Gori represents a top-down policy implementation approach to a contested historical monument. Such implementations of Georgia’s Freedom Char… Read More
Stalin Statue in Gori
The removal of the Stalin statue from the central square in Gori represents a top-down policy implementation approach to a contested historical monument. Such implementations of Georgia’s Freedom Char… Read More
The removal of the Stalin statue from the central square in Gori represents a top-down policy implementation approach to a contested historical monument. Such implementations of Georgia’s Freedom Charter illustrate the legal framework under which symbols, monuments and names of s… Read More
#27
Hans Egede Statue in Nuuk, Kalaallit Nunaat
Greenland
The vandalism of the Hans Egede statue in June 2020, and subsequent discussions surrounding the suitability of its positioning upon a mountaintop in Nuuk, catalysed debate over the colonial past, pres… Read More
Hans Egede Statue in Nuuk, Kalaallit Nunaat
The vandalism of the Hans Egede statue in June 2020, and subsequent discussions surrounding the suitability of its positioning upon a mountaintop in Nuuk, catalysed debate over the colonial past, pres… Read More
The vandalism of the Hans Egede statue in June 2020, and subsequent discussions surrounding the suitability of its positioning upon a mountaintop in Nuuk, catalysed debate over the colonial past, present, and future of Greenland, known to its indigenous population as Kalaallit Nu… Read More
#102
Coolela Battlefield Memorial in Mandlakazi (Manjacaze)
Mozambique
This memorial commemorates the 1895 Battle of Coolela, fought in Mozambique between the Portuguese colonial administration and their African allies, and the Gaza Empire led by Emperor Ngungunyane. The… Read More
Coolela Battlefield Memorial in Mandlakazi (Manjacaze)
This memorial commemorates the 1895 Battle of Coolela, fought in Mozambique between the Portuguese colonial administration and their African allies, and the Gaza Empire led by Emperor Ngungunyane. The… Read More
This memorial commemorates the 1895 Battle of Coolela, fought in Mozambique between the Portuguese colonial administration and their African allies, and the Gaza Empire led by Emperor Ngungunyane. The monument was originally created by the Portuguese administration in the late 18… Read More