Burning of the Flag
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The Burning of the Flag
Signs and codes have always been present in the human history, although semiotics as a science is a relatively new phenomenon. The book "Semiotics and Communication: Signs, Codes, Cultures" speaks of three different types of signs and codes. They are food, clothing and signs. In the "Prelude: Why Semiotics?" Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz summarizes the talk with her students in the following way:
"Of the three social codes, they found objects the most immediately revealing" (Leeds-Hurwitz, 1993, p.xii).
National flag is a very explicit and important sign. In historical past the flag signified much more than it does nowadays; it was a symbol of honor or victory. Burning of the national flag is an interesting and controversial phenomenon worth deep and thorough analysis.
The Controversy
How does the burning of the flag occur?..