Coloniality and Communications: Bombing and Psychological Control (Episode 5)

This episode features Sebastian James Rose and Burçe Çelik discussing an image published in Illustrated London News that presents aerial photographs of a village in Mesopotamia before and after a bombing. The paired images reveal how colonial airpower functioned not only as a military force but also as a communicative one, producing psychological and moral effects intended to convey that there was no refuge from aerial control. Even when aircraft were not actively bombing, they flew over villages to signal constant surveillance and the ever-present possibility of attack. Beyond these psychological impacts, the post-bombing image also documents the material destruction caused by aerial warfare, showing how bombing devastated the foundations of everyday life, including homes, infrastructure, and livestock.© the creators