Here are a couple of links to academic work looking at the use of photographs by NGOs and photojournalists. Although the focus is on ‘humanitarian’ issues – so, ‘development’ NGOs – much of what they are looking at equally applies to other social activism, including human rights organizations.
These examples are all from the UK, so if anyone knows of work being done in other countries please let me know.
Firstly, POLIS, a joint venture between the London School of Economics (LSE) and the London College of Communications. POLIS is basically looking at the media and its impact on society. For more info click here.
Of particular interest is their research project titled ‘Humanitarian and Development Communication In a Global Media Age.’ This brings together academics, NGO comms staff, activists and philosophers to look at ‘humanitarian communications in a global media age’. The project will produce seminars, conferences, publications and research. For more info contact polis@lse.ac.uk.
Also of interest is the blog run by POLIS Director, Charles Beckett. Here are a couple of taster posts…
‘Charity Marketing: a blood sport?’
‘Are we in a post-Humanitarian world?’
‘Charities as journalists: distorting international reporting?’
I have already linked to the work of David Campbell, Professor of Culture and Geography at Durham University in the UK, and his blog. You can also follow him on Twitter.
DJ Clark, photographer and academic, currently working in China, also is worth checking out, particularly his ‘Pictures for Change’ site. He established Folly, an agency producing still and moving pictures for overseas development agencies.
Images of famine seems to have been the main preoccupation of academics looking at the NGO world. Much of this work is captured on the already mentioned ‘Imaging Famine’ site. Photojournalism and media presentation takes precedence, but the work of NGOs is also put under the microscope.
Filed under: Photography Tagged: | NGO, representation, research
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