Visual Sociology Carol Wolkowitz and Cath Lambert Week 1 Introductory lecture

Today’s lecture Today’s lecture will: outline the module structure describe the organisation of teaching module resources, equipment and ‘training’ detail the assignments use photographs chosen for covers of handbook as a brief introduction to the kinds of issue we will be discussing

Module Structure Two terms of weekly teaching, plus preparation and support for final project Term 1: The Photograph as Image, Evidence and Social Practice Term 2: Methods of Visual Sociology Term 3: Support for final projects

Practical training Introduction to digital photography Week 3 lecture (RO39, Ground floor of library. Includes tips on taking pictures, storing them, manipulating them with GIMP, and scanning them into your assignments as necessary. If you feel that you know all this, you should take a more advanced course from IT, or you may like to move on to that. See handbook for Autumn short courses.

Module assignments Photographic Portraits The Faces of Work (non-assessed: weeks 8-10 Analysing a Single Image (assessed, 1500 words, 25% of marks. Term 2, week 11) A photo-elicitation Interview (assessed, 15 words, 25%. Term 2, Week 17) A Final Project (assessed, 3000 words, 50%. Term 3, Week 3) No Unseen Examination; Exempt from the 50/50 rule, even for third year students

Teaching and Learning Weekly lectures and seminars of one hour: failure to attend = your disadvantage (no catch up teaching) Basic photo ‘training’ (week 3) Visit to Modern Records Centre/BP Archive (week 4) Possible visit to Photographers’ Gallery, London in Reading Week Student Presentations (weeks 8-10) Film showing (you must see this film) Project Clinics (weeks 19 and 21) Festival of Images (week 20)

Dorothea Lange (1936) ‘Migrant Mother’ February 1936 ( Lange-MigrantMother02.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File: Lange-MigrantMother02.jpg Photographer Dorothea Lange, from ‘Dorothea Lange: Drawing Beauty Out Of Desolation’ story/story.php?storyId=

Thompson (seated) with her three daughters, (from l. to r.) Katherine, Ruby and Norma, in 1979—43 years after Migrant Mother From

Norma, the baby in the pictures, said of her mother that she “… was a woman who loved to enjoy life, who loved her children. She loved music and she loved to dance. When I look at that photo of mother [the Migrant Mother], it saddens me. That’s not how I like to remember her.” Troy recalled about his childhood years, “They were tough, tough times, but they were the best times we ever had.” Norma agreed: “We also had our fun.” We also had our fun: that is what is so notably missing from every face in Lange’s Nipomo series - a single smile that signals fun. Professor Michael Stones, Lakehead Univ, CA NES_001.php NES_001.php

Sources Rosler.. M. (1989 and later editions) ‘In, around, and afterthoughts (on documentary photography’ in Bolton. R (ed.) The Contest of Meaning, MIT Press, pp Available on line at In_around.pdf Morgan, Bethan ‘Dorothea Lange: A Powerful Photographic Portrayal of Strength Through Suffering’ america/usa/california/articles/dorothea-lange-a-powerful- photographic-portrayal-of-strength-through-suffering/ Stones, Michael ‘The Other Migrant Mother’ Open PhotographyForums.com