Photography and Colonialism

In the last class for the semester we looked at the close and sometimes difficult relationship between photography & colonialism. In particular, we discussed how photography has contributed to particular constructions of the "Other" and these have in turn been interpreted in different ways through time. The intention and context of these photographs is an important part of how we see them today. The colonial agendas of exploitation and power relationships (and violence) are implicit in many of the photographs. On the other hand, the Indigenous subjects photographed can be seen today as proof of resilience and survival. The documentary nature of many of these images also gives us important cultural information. Think about how you might analyse these photographs today from an Indigenous perspective, and think about the issues related to documenting other cultures - both in terms of Colonialism and Postcolonialism.