Evidence: Photographic Image, Fact, Document

Catalog description

This interdisciplinary course investigates the status of photographs as evidence in different contexts. How do photographic images serve as evidence in history, science, journalism, anthropology, politics, advertising and popular culture? Is a picture worth a thousand words? Can photographs lie? Should we believe our eyes? What philosophical, technical, political and practical presumptions are involved in the use of photographs as evidence? When and how is photographic evidence contested? Research projects for this course will involve work with primary sources in CCNY and NYC institutional collections.