Studying Materiality, Technology and Visuality in Conflicts, Interactive Peace Imagery
In this course, we will implement a new method for the teaching of visuality in international relations, security studies and peace and conflict research, interactive peace imagery (IPI). Interactive teaching creates a space for students to reflect upon their socializations, including visual ones, without which image interpretation cannot be fully explained. Photojournalism provides raw material for visual analysis in abundance. In the course we will show, however, that, due to its operating procedures, photojournalism does not serve as a model for image interpretation in peace and conflict studies. Emphasizing images’ interpretive openness and surplus of meaning, IPI helps to unearth, (re)vitalize and capitalize on the plurality of meanings images always carry with them. In IPI, then, images serve as vehicles by means of which students learn to think about politics, culture, society and peace and the subject positions conditioning each person’s performance within these wider cultural and political configurations.
In the course, we focus on digitization and active interaction (seeing – changing – sharing) in a non-hierarchic teaching environment: students interactively engage with visual images by regarding existing images, elaborating on them, changing them, sharing the changed images with their fellow students or producing original images. Students become involved in the production process and their responsibility for both the image and the knowledge claims attached to it increases.
Assessment:
Classroom participation 30%
Course presentation 30%
Seminar paper 40%
The assessment will include some form of peer-assessment or self-assessment to support and encourage critical reflection skills.
Timetable:
24-25 October 2023, 10-14: Workshop on visual analysis, interaction and digitization
31 October 2023, 10-12:
'inter-acting' with images of peace and security, 2 hours per week
7 November 2023, 10-12:
'inter-acting' with images of peace and security, 2 hours per week
14 November 2023, 10-12:
Reflecting on image-based interaction: Presentations.
21 November 2023, 10-12:
Reflecting on image-based interaction: Presentations.