Mini Cameras and Maxi Minds

Abstract

The recent surge of scholarly interest in citizen photojournalism is part of a wider paradigm shift in journalism studies involving the bringing into the foreground of the hitherto marginal issues of non-corporate media forms and citizen journalism. This paper aims to contribute to current debates about citizen photojournalism by focusing on the still inadequate and often quite problematic conceptualization of the history, role and functions of non-professional photography in the modern public sphere. Following a critical review of some of the most problematic terms and biases found in the current literature about citizen photojournalism, particular attention is given to the implications that the ambiguous cultural status traditionally ascribed to photojournalism has for the still contentious character and significance of citizen photojournalism.

Keywords:

• citizen photojournalism
• crisis reporting
• Fifth Estate
• history of photojournalism
• imagetext
• public sphere

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.