mapjd@lcc

"humanitarian agencies are almost never held to account for doing wrong, even as they do not hesitate to take credit when they do good. What's more, I wrote, the humanitarian claim of political neutrality is a fiction: humanitarian action always has a political consequence, and one cannot deny responsibility for it. My focus was on humanitarian responses to armed conflict (rather than, say, natural disasters, or peace-time economic development) and on how, time and again, aid serves to cater conflicts, or to transform a crisis into the status quo. "

"Nick Kristof has one answer: Focus on the individuals in the story, leaving the aid bureaucracies just outside the frame. Make readers care about places and people they will probably never see by bringing them stories of hope and inspiration: the American woman who leaves behind her family to help rape survivors in the Congo; the orphan boy in Zimbabwe who dreams of and gets a bicycle."

source of references

i have the pdf of the article if needed

I have the pdf of the book if needed

images from the highline project

" It's been very fashionable to focus on the weakness and the banality of America, but what I wanted to say is that it's also a very exciting and fascinating place. - Joel Sternfeld, 1987 Joel Sternfeld's projects can perhaps be divided into two general groups: site-specific landscapes somehow connected to human presence (though people are rarely present in them) and shot during distinct periods of time, and a more ranging, long-term examination of the United States accomplished largely by photographing Americans contextualized by their environments. "

A profile of photographer Joel Sternfeld, whose series "Walking the High... more info A profile of photographer Joel Sternfeld, whose series "Walking the High Line" captured the High Line elevated rail structure in four seasons"

Excellent lecture on African missionary photography and how it was used by 'western' photographers and organisations

Readable and informative review of Sontag's book

Interesting chapter on giving 'photographic power and expression' to de-colonised people

interesting site for possible research project ideas.

useful links to tips on multimedia journalism

"My best shot: Marcus Bleasdale The documentary photographer talks about capturing child soldiers and conflict zones - and explains why the reason he takes pictures is because he gets angry"