SOAN/MVC 347

This May Term seminar lies at the intersection of two intellectual disciplines: Anthropology and Media & Visual Culture Studies.  It explores the use of visual media in ethnography.  The course includes in-class analysis of ethnographic photography and film, ethnographic field trips to local sites, digital lab work, and the completion of an ethnographic project using still photography.  Course topics include:

  • Cultural differences in visual perception, especially variability in culturally standard ways of seeing
  • Photography as an ethnographic research tool
  • Photography as a means of ethnographic presentation, especially the shifting standards of what counts as ‘ethnography’ and the differences between ethnographic photography and photography used for other ends.
  • Practical experience documenting and presenting cultural scenes.
Prerequisites:
  • SOAN 102 (Intro to Cultural Anthropology) OR
  • MVCS 101 (Intro to Media & Visual Culture Studies) OR
  • instructor permission

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