Snap Shots: Using Photography for Intercultural Awareness and Understanding

Abstract

Courses

Multiculturalism and Media, Intercultural Communication, Study Abroad programs, any course that deals with cultural difference and attempts to create some form of intercultural awareness and understanding. This is a semester-long activity.

Objectives

• Students will identify social markers of cultural difference in their own environment or abroad by creating their own photographic portfolio and analyzing it critically.

• Students will compare the photographic images they captured with media stereotypes of a different culture in order to build criteria for understanding and criticizing visual representations.

• Students will process awareness of self and of their intercultural experiences by writing a photo-essay to accompany their photo project.

• At the end of the activity, students will have a better understanding of how creating visual images of places, cultural products, and people may help to limit or stimulate a better understanding of cultures different to one's own.

Acknowledgements

This activity was conjointly designed with my colleague Barbara Speicher. I want to thank her for her wisdom, support and camaraderie. I also want to thank Jacqueline Taylor, former Dean of the College of Communication at DePaul University for her vision and for believing in this project. Last, but not least, my gratitude goes to Esther Quintero and our friends at Panamericana University, without whom this project would not have been as marvelous as it was.