What can American photographs reveal about our past and present, and how we see ourselves and others? This course explores how photographs-culled from archives, media, family albums, blogs, social media, and more-shape and reflect individual and collective identities and memory. From the daguerreotype to digital media, students will engage with critical methods in studying American photography. We will delve into foundational texts and recent American Studies approaches to visual culture, examining how photographs are influenced by and shape ideas about gender, race, class, and sexuality. Students will learn American photographic history, major theoretical trends in image-based studies, and the skills to incorporate photographic images into their research and writing. This course is not open to undergraduate students.
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