HIST 303 - From Analog to Digital: Historical Photography in Africa

Institution:

Williams College

Subject:

History

Description:

As a technology and practice, photography evolved alongside Europe's colonization of Africa. Nevertheless, the image and its archiving were critical facets of the continent's histories of liberation and post-independence. This survey course introduces students to the historical development of photography in Africa and the historical usages of photographs in the late-nineteenth century to recent times. The course begins by considering the photography of the royal courts in North Africa and Christian missionaries in West Africa, before shifting to the role of photography in the making of independent African nations and their liberation struggles after World War II. The course concludes by considering the commoditization of African photography at international biennales and its function for single-party regimes that continue to rule across Sub-Saharan Africa. Key themes include photography's role in shaping historical knowledge and representation of Africa and its people, the appropriation of image making into African creative practices and daily life, the politics of exhibition and archiving, and the ethics of seeing war and social injustice. Students will cultivate their skills in visual analysis through historical contextualization and by frequently engaging with the photographic collections available at the WCMA and Clark Art Museum.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.williams.edu

Phone Number:

(413) 597-3131

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Four-one-four plan

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.