84268 - Visual Anthropology (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the students will be expected to have acquired the basic knowledge on the history of visual anthropology and on the use of video and photography techniques in ethnographic research. In addition, they are expected to develop a critical view of the ethnographic representation related to the use of such techniques.

Course contents

The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of the connections between anthropology and visual languages, starting from the ethnographic research of various authors throughout the history of the discipline. Through the authors' production, the practices of observation, interpretation and representation of the Other and the Elsewhere will be analysed, as well as the social uses of photography: from documentary practices to artistic ones, passing through the tourist use of the image up to the production and diffusion of images on social networks. Taking into consideration the current debates on visual anthropology, we will reflect on our daily and contemporary relationship with images, on the new methodologies and new tools for "recording" reality, considering how visual languages, in addition to making the contents of research visible, can also be conceived as true collaborative practices, methodologies of intervention, and authorial practices for rendering, returning, and/or narrating.

Readings/Bibliography

3 Mandatory readings:

1.Meloni, P., 2023, Cultura visiva e antropologia, Roma: Carocci.

- 2 of the following volumes:

Bourgois, P., Schonberg, J., 2011, Reietti e fuorilegge. Antropologia della violenza nella metropoli americana. Roma. DeriveApprodi.

Faeta, F., 2022, Vi sono molte strade per l'Italia. Ricercatori e fotografi americani nel Mezzogiorno degli anni Cinquanta, Rubbettino Editore.

Meloni, P., 2023, Nostalgia rurale. Antropologia visiva di un immaginario contemporaneo. Milano: Meltemi.

Ogden, L.A., 2023, Perdita e meraviglia alla fine del mondo, Torino: Add Editore.

Ricci, A., 2023, Sguardi Lontani. Fotografia ed etnografia nella prima metà del Novecento, Roma: Franco Angeli.

Scardozzi, C., Berardi M., a cura, 2021, Ethnography and Photography Today: New Perspectives, Technologies and Narratives. Visual Ethnography Journal Special Issue Vol.10 No 2, Open Access:

http://vejournal.org/index.php/vejournal/issue/view/20

Further suggested readings (not mandatory):

Azoulay, A., 2018, Civil Imagination. Ontologia politica della fotografia, Milano: Postmedia edizioni.

Barthes, R., 1980, La camera chiara. Nota sulla fotografia. Torino: Einaudi.

Berger, J., 2015, Capire una fotografia, Roma:Contrasto

Bourdieau, P., 2018, Un’arte media. Saggio sugli usi sociali della fotografia. Milano: Meltemi.

Chiozzi P.,1993, Manuale di Antropologia Visuale, Milano: Edizioni Unicopli

Faeta, F., 2003, Strategie dell’occhio. Saggi di etnografia visiva, Milano: Franco Angeli.

Favero, P., 2017, Dentro e oltre l’immagine. Saggi sulla cultura visiva e politica nell’Italia contemporanea, Milano: Meltemi.

Fontcuberta, J., 2018, La furia delle immagini. Note sulla postfotografia. Torino: Einaudi.

Levi Strauss, D., 2021, Perché crediamo alle immagini fotografiche, Milano: Johan & Levi.

Levi Strauss, D., 2007, Politica della fotografia, Postmedia.

Marano, F., 2007, Camera Etnografica. Storie e Teorie di Antropologia Visuale, Roma: Franco Angeli

Marazzi, 2015, Antropologia della visione, Roma: Carocci.

Mirzoeff, N., 2017, Come vedere il mondo. Un’introduzione alle immagini: dall’autoritratto al selfie, dalle mappe ai film (e altro ancora), Johan & Levi.

Pennaccini, C., 2015, Filmare le Culture: Un'introduzione all'Antropologia Visiva, Roma: Carocci Editore

Pieroni, A. 2006. Leggere la fotografia. Osservazione e analisi delle immagini fotografiche. Roma. EDUP.

Pieroni, A. 2016, Portfolio! Costruzione e lettura delle sequenze fotografiche, Roma: Postcart.

Pink, S. 2013, Doing Visual Ethnography. London: Sage.

Pink., S. (ed.) 2007, Visual Interventions. Applied Visual Anthropology. New York. Berghan.

Sontag., S., 2003, Davanti al dolore degli altri, Mondadori.

 

 

Teaching methods

In addition to the traditional lectures, there will be sessions that encourage active participation from students. They will have the opportunity to work individually or in groups on visual production related to their own research or areas of interest. The course will include readings, film and photo screenings, as well as analysis of digital archives to meet the educational needs of the students attending the lectures.

Assessment methods

The student will undergo an individual oral interview to verify learning with respect to the development of skills relating to the role, cognitive objectives, ethical considerations and current perspectives of visual anthropology.
In particular, the following will be assessed:

- The ability to identify and define the key concepts, tools and methods of visual anthropology;
- The application of anthropological analysis to the social phenomena related to visuality;
- The development of a critical reading skills with respect to the production and circulation of images especially in the mass media and digital context:
- Awareness of ethical and aesthetic implications in visual representations;
- The ability to use images in ethnographic research and/or to design ethnographically-oriented visual research.

The evaluation will consider the application in relation to the study of the provided bibliography, active participation, and contributions made during the lectures.

Teaching tools

Information and communication technologies, audiovisual tools.

Attending students are kindly requested to subscribe to the following distribution list in order to receive any communications and materials useful for the course of study:

chiara.scardozzi.antropologia-visiva

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Scardozzi