Art History 130: Politics of Photography

This course will explore the politics of photography from the nineteenth-century to the present. Through careful analysis of lens-based images and image collections, paired with readings in photo history and criticism, we will ask how “light writing” shapes and is shaped by intersecting systems of class, gender, sexuality and race. We will also interrogate core principles of photography itself, from objectivity to democracy. Students will be introduced to a broad range of photographic forms, including (but not limited to): scientific, art, ethnographic, commercial, war and protest. They will also develop visual literacy skills and a critical toolkit for analyzing histories of technology and image making. Lecture-based with discussion posts, papers and presentations. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major or minor.