SOAN 308 | Visual and Media Anthropology

Students focus on visual anthropology in its primary and original form: as a research practice. Specifically, they investigate and practically explore the use of visual media as a tool for anthropological research and presentation. They discuss visual anthropology both as a supplement to textually-focused ethnography, and as an end in itself, in the creation of a visual product that explicates cultural realities. This course focuses on visual forms of communication by analyzing and questioning how facts travel in the world through old and new media such as film, video, photography, including their digital forms. Students are introduced to the history of ethnographic film and contemporary changes that have widened the possibilities of visual anthropology beyond its early confines as a tool for illustration. Critical theory, methods, and ethical concerns are all part of the current refashioning of visual anthropology and are critical components of the class. Students will also be introduced to the emerging sub-discipline of media anthropology, which focuses on the intersections of culture and media consumption, production, and materiality. The class explores the history of media and cultural studies, and how they have informed contemporary media anthropological approaches. The class combines the discussion of theoretical and ethical issues, film and video screenings, and practical assignments in visual ethnography, using a variety of available media.