Playing with Fire: The Symbolic Role of Fire in Political Violence

Fire has long been recognized as holding a wealth of symbolism across disciplinary contexts. However, its symbolic role in political violence has yet to be evaluated. This theoretical contribution explores a range of contexts in which fire is employed as a figurative or literal device in acts and threats of political violence. Through an evaluation of nine instances across a variety of extremist ideologies, we identify six thematic messages conveyed with and through invocations of fire: fire as threat; fire as destruction; fire as protest; fire as sacrifice; fire as restoration; and fire as performance. We argue that evaluating the ubiquity of fire symbolism across extremist ideologies has the potential to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of extremist messaging. By considering the symbolic value in the means as well as the ends of political violence, we can better understand how such acts constitute “bloody theater”.