Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

Searchable Course Catalog

header image

HARC1029A-W20

Photo and Ethics of Witnessing

Photography and the Ethics of Witnessing
In this course we will consider photography as an eyewitness to violence and human suffering and the ethical position of the viewer. What does it mean to regard the pain of others? Can there be beauty in violence? Can a photograph alone speak truth? Can photographs initiate empathy or spark activism? Are we so bombarded with images of violence that we are immune to their power? To explore these questions, we will examine a series of case studies, from photography’s earliest documentation on the battlefield to contemporary examples of drone imagery used to wage war from a distance. We will also consider contemporary artists who integrate documentary photography into their practice as a form of resistance.
Course Reference Number (CRN):
11532
Subject Code:
HARC
Course Number:
1029
Section Identifier:
A

Course

HARC 1029

All Sections in Winter 2020

Winter 2020

HARC1029A-W20 Lecture (Rogers)