DHUM 25A28 - MEDIA AND NARRATIVE CENTER - ETHICS AND PHOTOJOURNALISM

This workshop of 24 hours (2 hours per week) aims at understanding how photojournalism contributes to the news landscape and how images shape our comprehension of current affairs and history. The course will look at images from contemporary events as well as studying the history of photojournalism and its different fields of engagement in order to give context for its role today.

The course will also focus on how Artificial Intelligence is changing the game for the viewers as well as the professional photographers.

What makes us an ethical photojournalist? Are there ways we should act while covering stories worldwide? Is it always appropriate to make an image or are there times when a conversation needs to happen first? What messages are we trying to convey through our photographs? How do we remain transparent and inclusive as photographers while working in the field?

Students will be graded based on:

Discussion question

On week 6, half-way through the course, students will be asked to respond to a “discussion question” that explores a specific ethical question that has arised in their own reporting at Sciences Po and to come up with successful solutions and takeaways on how to navigate the situation. Responses will be 1,200-1,500 words and can include personal experiences or examples from assigned readings. Responses should be turned in the day before class.

In-class debate

Starting in week two, students will be placed into groups to prepare a presentation on that week’s topic. The group will kick off the session with a debate that they will have prepared before-hand. The debate can include examples of ethical questions students have experienced in their own reporting or arguments from the assigned readings. Students will divide the group into two teams and one moderator. Both teams will have up to two minutes to defend their side of the argument, and the moderator will then give each team 30 seconds to ask questions to the opposing team. Each presentation can be no longer than ten minutes to allow time for a class discussion and questions.