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74312-01 - Course: History of Photography (3 CP)

Semester spring semester 2025
Course frequency Irregular
Lecturers Peter Burleigh (p.burleigh@unibas.ch, Assessor)
Content Culture is often represented, understood, digested and framed through visual mechanisms. This course will address how Culture is subjected to this framing by looking at a wide range of photographic artefacts considered across the history of the medium. We will start by developing tools and terminology particular to the description and analysis of images, thinking, too, about how we can understand what photography is as a medium and a practice. In a second phase, we will look at the development of different photographic approaches to culture, raising questions about photography's documentary, evidential, and affective status. Thus, we will touch on aspects of identity construction, self-representation and broader political discourse, yet always keep in frame actual culture. The interplay of private and public and the key articulator of memory will also have important consequences in the development of a framing of in particular British culture.
Learning objectives Students will learn key terminology in visual discourse, and in particular photography. Students will learn about major figures in British photography. Students will read central critical texts in photography and visual studies, with the view to integrating and positioning these thinkers into a general understanding of the cultural in general and of British culture in particular. Students will engage in discussing and critiquing each others' ideas and presentations of small sets of images, thus arriving at a synthesis of critical positions through group work.
Bibliography Selected readings will be collected into a course reader; a body of images will also be provided, which students must familiarize themselves with.
Weblink ADAM

 

Course application Please register for the course via services.unibas.ch by Monday 3rd February.
Language of instruction English
Use of digital media Online, mandatory

 

Interval Weekday Time Room
wöchentlich Thursday 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11

Dates

Date Time Room
Thursday 20.02.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 27.02.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 06.03.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 13.03.2025 10.15-12.00 Fasnachstferien
Thursday 20.03.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 27.03.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 03.04.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 10.04.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 17.04.2025 10.15-12.00 Ostern
Thursday 24.04.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 01.05.2025 10.15-12.00 Tag der Arbeit
Thursday 08.05.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 15.05.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 22.05.2025 10.15-12.00 Nadelberg 6, Raum 11
Thursday 29.05.2025 10.15-12.00 Auffahrt
Modules Modul: Introduction to Academic Communication in English (Bachelor's degree subject: English)
Assessment format continuous assessment
Assessment details Regular attendance, active participation and a specific task of presentation, taking minutes or chairing a meeting.
Assessment registration/deregistration Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required
Repeat examination no repeat examination
Scale Pass / Fail
Repeated registration as often as necessary
Responsible faculty Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch
Offered by Fachbereich Englische Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft

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