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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 273"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to the History of Photography"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2017
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Martina Caruso
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This is an introduction to photography as both a historical and contemporary form of art and communication. While essential to the understanding of modern art, the history of photography also illuminates fundamental aspects of the image-dominated culture in which we live. The course is broadly chronological, and includes the invention and early reception of photography, its function as an independent art form, its uses in other arts, scientific investigation, reportage, photojournalism, portraiture, and other fields, and its relationships to major 19th and 20th century art movements. Contemporary photography is treated extensively.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The course aims to provide a general outline of key historical and theoretical developments in photography. The program follows the development of photography from its origins in the nineteenth century, through modernity and postmodernity, up to the present day, making connections to contemporary practice along the way. The course provides a phased introduction to key study skills such as visual analysis and analysis of theoretical texts.

In this course we explore different ways of understanding the photograph, by situating it within broader cultural debates and critical theories, such as Marxism, feminism and postcolonialism. Looking at landscape, documentary, and fine art photography, we cover iconic as well as anonymous images, going through some of the major art movements from Impressionism to Postmodernism. The main focus of the course will be on Western photography, with an introduction to a global perspective in the second half of the course.

The lectures will include class discussions based on images, readings and student presentations. Students will become familiar with seminal texts on photography, including writings of Susan Sontag, Walter Benjamin and Roland Barthes. One or more guest speakers and gallery/museum visits will be included in the course.

Course information 

For specific enquiries or to set up an appointment please contact me via email on [email protected] 
Changes, additional course information, etc. will be posted on MyJCU. Please check this regularly and, certainly, in advance of each class.
Make-up work is not offered, except in exceptional circumstances and after consultation with the Dean of Academic Affairs.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
  • Identify historical and contemporary photographic practices in relation to theory
  • Describe and visually analyze photographs and develop technical vocabulary appropriate to the field
  • Read and understand assigned theoretical texts
  • Identify, define and apply terms from assigned texts
  • Structure and effectively communicate ideas and information orally and in writing
  • Ability to to engage in a sophisticated discussion of photography on the levels of visual, contextual and historical analysis. 
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
Camera LucidaRoland BarthesVintage Classics978-0099225416  

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
Burning with Desire: Conception of PhotographyGeoffrey Batchen MIT Press978-0262522595  
A New History of PhotographyMichel FrizotKonneman UK978-3829013284  
Photography: The Whole StoryJuliet HackingThames & Hudson978-0500290453  
Photography: A Concise HistoryIan JeffreyThames & Hudson978-0500201879  
Photography: A Cultural HistoryMary Warner MarienLaurence King978-1780673325  
A World History of PhotographyNaomi RosenblumAbbeville Press978-0789209375  
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Class presentationsResearch presentation to class (10 minutes)15%
Reading assignments In-class assessment on take-home reading15%
Term paper8 - 10 page visual analysis20%
Mid-term examinationImage identifications and analytical essays25%
Final examinationImage identifications and analytical essays25%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
A Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the cours
B This indicates a highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
C This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
D This level of performance demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material. Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included. In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
F This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
•   All scheduled classes are mandatory; absences will be noted. Please refer to the university catalogue for the attendance and absence policy.
•   All classes start promptly at 18.00; late arrival will be noted. You are expected to have dealt with food, drink and bathroom needs before class.
•   Make-up work is not offered, except in exceptional circumstances and after consultation with the Dean of Academic Affairs.

Changes to / cancellation of class
•     Changes, additional course information, etc will be posted on MyJCU or sent to your e-mail. Please check this regularly and, certainly, in advance of each class.
•     In case of unavoidable cancellations of class, notification will be posted at the front desk at both Tiber and Guarini campuses. A suitable date and time for a make-up class will subsequently be established.

Textbook and revision aid
• For the text book and recommended reading see the details on the class schedule.
• Revision aids: An overview of works studied, as well as themed questions to help you organise your notes and gain an overview of the material, will be posted on MyJCU.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

AH 273

Details of further reading suggestions as well as a relevant bibliography for the course will be provided at the start of term.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1.1 (Jan 16): Course overview

Week 1.2 (Jan 18): Invention, Histories and Processes

Week 2.1 (Jan 23): Photography: Science or Art?

Week 2.2 (Jan 25):  The Documentary Purpose

Week 3.1 (Jan 30): Reading seminar – Rosler, M. (1972), ‘In, Around, Afterthoughts (On Documentary Photography)’, in Bolton, R. (1992), The Contest of Meaning, Cambridge, Mass. MIT Press

http://everydayarchive.org/awt/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/rosler-martha_in-around-afterthoughts.pdf

Week 3.2 (Feb 1): Photography and Fine Art: the Manipulative Impulse

Week 4.1 (Feb 6): Reading seminar - Walter Benjamin, ‘The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction’ (1936)

https://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm

Week 4.2 (Feb 8): Guest speaker

Week 5.1 (Feb 13): Class Presentations

Week 5.2 (Feb 15): Class Presentations

Week 6.1 (Feb 20): European Avant-gardes

Week 6.2 (Feb 22): New Ojectivity and Straight Photography

Week 7.1 (Feb 27): Reading seminar – Sontag, S. (1977), On Photography, London: Penguin Books.

Week 7.2 (March 1): The Politics of Landscape (New Topographics and Late Photography)

Week 8.1 (March 6): Humanist Photography and The Family of Man

Week 8.2 (March 8): Reading seminar – Solomon-Godeau, A. (1991). 'Who is Speaking Thus?' In: Photography at the Dock: Essays on Photographic History, Institutions, and Practices, Minneapolis: Minnesota U. Press, pp. 169-183.

Week 8.3 (March 10 make-up for April 17): The Photographer’s Eye: How John Szarkowski validated documentary photography as art

Week 9.1 (March 13): Mid-term exam

Week 9.2 (March 15): Reading seminar – Barthes, R. (1977), ‘The Photographic Message’ and ‘Rhetoric of the Image’ (1977)

http://pages.ucsd.edu/~bgoldfarb/cocu108/data/texts/Barthes_photographic.PDF

https://faculty.georgetown.edu/irvinem/theory/Barthes-Rhetoric-of-the-image-ex.pdf

Week 10.1 (March 20): Postmodernism I: Photography and Appropriation

Week 10.2 (March 22): Postmodernism II: Conceptual Art 1960s – 1970s

Week 11.1 (March 27): Photography and Feminism

Week 11.2 (March 29): War photography from Robert Capa to Rabih Mroué

**** SPRING BREAK (April 1 – April 9) ****

Week 13.1 (April 10): Photography in the Age of Surveillance & Term paper submissions

Week 13.2 (April 12): Reading seminar – Barthes, R. (1981), Camera Lucida, London: Hill & Wang.

https://monoskop.org/images/c/c5/Barthes_Roland_Camera_Lucida_Reflections_on_Photography.pdf

Week 14.2 (April 17): Holiday (make-up Friday, February 10)

Week 14.2 (April 19): Decolonial photography

Week 15.1 (April 24): Photography and Architecture

Week 15.2 (April 26): Course Review 

Week 16 (date tbc, April 29 – May 5): Final Exam

Note: This schedule of lessons is subject to change.