SPAN 65.15 Cameras and Crisis
How do we capture a crisis, and how do we respond to one? In such critical circumstances, what stories can cameras share? This course considers some of the visual and audiovisual responses that have emerged in the face of crises from across 21st century Latin America. By carefully analyzing films and photographs, we will examine how artists interpret and even intervene in crises involving migration, the environment, political violence, gender rights, racism, and Indigeneity. As we contemplate narratives ranging from border crossings to the echoes of dictatorships to struggles against exploitative mining practices, we will pay special attention to production histories and always ask the following question: if a crisis demands a decision, how should we understand the creative choices made by filmmakers and photographers? Combining textual analysis with the study of artistic processes will also allow us to reflect on how images can simultaneously explore local crises and inspire transnational solidarity.