research

I investigate the ways photography intersects politics, typically in the human rights context. For me this often means how photos depict suffering, people sustaining abuse—for example, from famine or environmental disaster, genocide, war, torture, or incarceration. On the more "positive" side, I am curious about the ways photographs contribute to our understanding of political issues, and the ways photographs can be used to further rights campaigns, develop a sense of solidarity, and encourage political action. I am further curious about how photography may be used by subjugated populations as a tool of resistance and empowerment.

Research sub-fields: activism & organizing; human rights; international law; law and public policy; photography; police misconduct; political behavior; political psychology; social movements; U. S. politics; visual culture